The Boy in the Backyard
by mariescullen
Summary: After stumbling upon a sad young runaway in her backyard playhouse, Charlotte Swan helps Peter by stowing him away right under her mother's nose. Meanwhile, her mother Bella begins a whirlwind romance with the towns new green-eyed doctor. Unfortunately, Charlotte's not the only one keeping secrets. AH/AU BxE
1. Chapter 1

**The Boy in the Backyard by _mariescullen_**

 **Summary: When Bella's 6-year-old daughter stumbles upon Peter, a young dirt, stain-filled boy in her backyard playhouse, she's determined to help him. Meanwhile, Bella notices something odd about the new doctor at her work. As Peter's story unwinds, his fate is ultimately left to the family that took him in, but Bella has no intention of giving up the boy in her backyard.**

 **Eventually this story will contain mentions of abuse, etc. I will provide trigger warnings for sensitive readers.**

1.

The woman in the window looked down at the ground, grasping portions of her long-braided hair. The deep chestnut tendrils contrasted against the cold stone of the walls below. It was a long way down, the wind whistling taunts of terror as the princess peered over the edge. The figure of the woman was familiar, Charlotte thought, as the scene played out in her head.

A man—tall, dark, and handsome no doubt—checked out on the list of requirements for a prince. This man was special, but not for her. She couldn't make out his face underneath the freshly polished knights' helmet or hear his voice over the whine of the white stallion he tied to a chopped down stump a few strides back.

The knight approached the tower, glancing up to take in the challenge. The aged masonry gleamed with a height that challenged those of redwoods in the hills of California—her mom took her there once to visit Grandpa Charlie, and they were the tallest trees she'd ever laid her eyes on—but this wasn't her challenge. This challenge was for the prince and the princess.

"Won't you let down your hair, Princess Isabella?" A voice said, muffled by the heavy silver of the mask. The knight raised his hand in honor, urging the woman to consider his request. Funny, she pictured his voice deeper, not…so…girly.

The princess peered farther over the edge. Charlotte's mouth curled into an automatic smile as she squeezed her eyes tighter. The face of her mother gazing out from the top of the tower was somehow humorous to her.

"Excuse me, kind Knight, what did you say? I can't hear you from all the way up here," the princess yelled, cupping circles around her ears.

"I said, what have you got there, Charlotte?" said even more feminine voice of the Prince.

With a gasp, Charlotte's eyes snapped open. Her arms tensed from the position raised in the air, using the angle to get a better view of the words on the page. She lay there on the pale rug in the foyer. Her own chocolate brown locks were neatly braided down her back, shoved untidily behind her ears—all thanks to the Princess herself (her mother) and her knowledge of her daughter's recent obsession with Rapunzel.

The click of heels on the wooden stairs causing Charlotte to drop the book. She was no longer alone; this is what must have interrupted the fantasy in her head. Her babysitter, Jessica, must have finally emerged from coating her lips with some sort of sticky goop in the bathroom upstairs.

Six years of age (six and three quarters if you want to be specific), can't touch the top of the kitchen counter, and prefers to spend her afternoons in the magical places her fairytales take her, Charlotte Swan was not your average girl. Her mother wasn't due home for a few more hours and to be honest, the lamp on the bedside table was brighter than the babysitter stationed to look after her.

"I'm reading the book Mom gave me," Charlotte responded rolling her eyes.

Jessica bent down to examine the now discarded book while pulling Charlotte to her feet.

""Rapunzel? A little mature for a kid like yourself, huh sweetie?" Jessica took the book away and made her way to the enormous bookshelf located in the hallway, directly off of the foyer. She scanned the books, looking for a better choice for the six-year-old, who currently was sitting on the bottom step, arms crossed and pout face on.

"Mommy says I can read those books," Charlotte claimed in her bell like voice, looking down at her knees.

"Why don't you try something along the lines of Green Eggs and Ham? It's a good read, I promise!" Jessica chuckled to herself and handed her the all too thin Dr. Seuss book.

"What do you feel like for lunch, kiddo?"

"Food!" retorted Charlotte. She'd gotten the love of the language of sarcasm from her mother. Jessica's eye roll could practically be heard as she headed towards the kitchen.

Jessica Stanley, Bella's "best friend" worked as a teacher's aide at the local elementary school, but it being summer, she was automatically assigned babysitter duty.

Charlotte climbed the staircase to her bedroom and sprawled on the bed, tossing "Green Eggs and Ham" on the floor.

* * *

"Charlotte, why don't you go outside and play for a little while? Your mom will be home in a couple of hours." Jessica called up the stairs as she came out of the kitchen and went into the living room to make herself at home on the couch, "lunch will be ready soon."

"Okay," Charlotte said, walking into the kitchen where back sliding doors were. She slid on her pink flip flops with ease and with a leap was out the back door and onto the porch.

The Swan's yard was big. Wild flowers surrounded the outlines of the property, adding color next to the tall, mossy evergreens that drew around the start of the forest. In the center of the yard sat a small yellow play house. Of course, it had a small, flowery welcome front and a window on the west side. Consisting of three small rooms: a kitchen, a living room, and a spare, the play house was Charlotte's safe haven when her mother was not around.

Her dolls and toys were already nestled into the small house, now along with the Rapunzel book she'd stolen off of the bookshelf. In the kitchen, she set down a plastic tea pot filled to the brim with whatever type of tea her mother had prepped for her the night before. Tea parties were a  
daily thing in the Swan household.

Today, two guests, would make an appearance at Charlotte Swan's ultimate tea party. Lining up a crazy red-haired doll with a sowed on smile and a stuffed lion, she started to pour the cups of tea. However, redhair's glass was only halfway full when the small cup was dropped, covering the plastic floor in a slew of spilt tea (juice).

Charlotte couldn't help it. She wasn't expecting a third guest, especially not the dirty looking boy that was sitting in a chair on the opposing side of the room. This boy looked small, yet couldn't be bigger than her cousin Jake, who was six years older. His light blonde hair highlighted  
with muck, stood out in many different directions around his pale face. His jeans were torn at the hemline and his shirtsleeves non-existent. Her doe eyes met his large green ones and they stared at each other for a while.

Charlotte scoffed, bending over to pick up plastic cup. She looked up at the boy expectedly.

"Well, are you going to just sit there or are you going to join me for my tea party?"

* * *

"Did you hear were getting a transfer here on Friday?" said Lauren, an RN who was filing down her nails.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Replacing Dr. Uley is he?" said Bella, who was scrambling around the room, gathering her stuff to take home. Her shift at the hospital had just ended and after 12 hours of being there, she'd wanted to go home and see her daughter.

"Sad to see Sam go are you, Bella?" Lauren laughed. She knew of the previous relationship between Sam and Bella, but she also knew how he'd been cheating on her in the break room with some physical therapist with big boobs and a low-price tag.

"Shove it, Laur." Bella said rolling her eyes.

"Send Charlotte my love!" Lauren laughed as Bella exited the nurse's station.

As she emerged from the hospital doors, she made her way towards the staff section of the parking garage in a hurry to get to her car.

The odds on getting home to quickly weren't in Bella's favor though, because a  
blonde haired male quickly approached her as he was exiting his own car.

"Bella!"

"Newton," she replied, eyes set on her little black Mitsubishi Lancer that was a daring four spaces away. Damn it.

"So, Bella, have a good shift?" Mike said, as he came up to her, making her stop dead in her tracks.

"Yes Mike, it was great. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get home."

"Come on Swan, what's the big deal with you and me?"

Newton was referring to the "relationship" they had, or so he calls it. He was interested, not horrible to look at, and she had a need to fill, but Charlotte wouldn't have it. According to the six-year-old, Mike looked like an oversized Ken doll. And Charlotte couldn't have her Mommy playing with those kinds of dolls—after all Barbie was for little kids.

"Mike, you know that Charlotte doesn't like you." Bella rolled her eyes as she neared the driver's side.

"Come on! What the little brat doesn't know won't kill her!" Mike complained.

"Oh, get over yourself Mike," Bella spun around to face him, now insulted that he referred to her daughter as a 'brat.' Newton has met Charlotte once when her grandpa had brought her down to surprise her mother with lunch. She quickly disliked him. "I wouldn't get with you if you paid  
me."

Hurrying to her vehicle, Bella got in and started the engine, giving Mike a death glare as she passed him by.

* * *

"Jessica! Wake up!" Bella yelled at her friend when she walked into the living room of her house. An internal panic rose when she found the house vacant of a bouncy little girl.

Jessica woke up, startled. "What's with the violent shakes?"

"Where is Charlotte?!" Bella said quickly moving in and out of the rooms of the first floor of their house.

"How long have you been asleep Jessica?"

"I fell asleep at like two-thirty or so." She replied, joining in on the search for Charlotte.

Five hours had passed since she'd seen the bright-eyed little girl.

 **A/N: Reviews are like cookies! I like cookies :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_The Boy in the Backyard by Mariescullen_

 **Authors Note:**

 **Hi everyone! WOW, I did not expect this type of response for this story! I tried to respond to most of the reviews and will continue to do so! I am excited to share this story and others with you! Big thanks to my Beta SunflowerFran for making things look pretty! She is great!**

 **Disclaimer: As usual, not mine.**

2.

"Charlotte!" yelled Bella as she ripped open the sliding door. Her rapid heart rate froze when she heard giggles coming from the small yellow playhouse stationed in the yard. Bella raised her hand to her chest, a sigh of relief escaping through her lips.

"Mommy, come find me!" the noise echoed across the yard.

Out of view, as per Charlotte's orders, Peter watched from the tree adjacent to the playhouse. From there, he could see a woman frantically looking for her child. He then remembered Charlotte's words, smiling a little to himself, picturing her toothy lisp.

 _"You have to hide for a little bit. My mommy will freak out if she sees you now. Hide! Stay behind the tree until we go inside, then come back into the playhouse. You'll be safe. Just stay here, nobody can get you. I'll bring you some leftovers from dinner in a while. I'll leave the blankie from my bed in the playhouse."_

"Charlotte!" yelled the woman.

Peter's chest tightened as he watched the evident love in the mother's frantic steps. At the still opened sliding doors of the dark blue house, another female gripped the doorframe, holding her breath.

"Bella, she's not upstairs!"

"Jessica, she's out here," Bella called.

Bella dropped to her knees, half expecting to find a sobbing child, injured and unable to get to the main house. But right now, it didn't matter what had happened, Bella saw nothing except for the sweet brown eyes that mirrored her own. Charlotte was packing her stuffed animals into the small toy chest in the back corner when she heard the door being opened. Clutching the red-headed doll, she ran into her mother's arms.

"Charlotte, what in God's name were you thinking? Why didn't you come when you heard me calling? I was so scared!" Bella said frantically, pulling the little girl to her chest.

"I'm sorry, Mommy, I was playing with my friend." Charlotte cried, hugging her mother's torso. Her heart hurt after Peter talked about his mom. He said he missed her, but he had to leave.

Jessica stepped outside seeing Charlotte's unharmed condition for herself. She hung back by the house, her breathing steady.

After a few moments, Charlotte pulled away from her mother. She retreated into the playhouse to finish putting her toys away. Charlotte stared down at the toy box throwing the red-haired doll inside. The only toy remaining on the ground was the stuffed lion. She reached for it before just as her mother grabbed her hand.

"Don't worry about this right now; we can clean the mess up later. You must be starving or thirsty or hurt, Char! I can't believe this happened." Bella pulled her child behind her, the shock of the situation finally wearing off. She tightened her grip on Charlotte's hand as she steered her towards the house.

Swallowing her anxiety, she raised her eyes to meet Jessica's as they moved past her. She'd deal with her later—what was important right now was making sure Charlotte was all right, getting her fed, and then cleaning her up.

Jessica trailed them as they entered the house, shutting the door behind. Her gut was telling her to scram as Bella ushered the six-year-old into the kitchen, but she ignored it and followed. As if to make matters worse, Bella's raised voice caught her attention.

"Seriously, Jessica?"

Jessica took in the scene in front of her—the kitchen seemed hazy, a cloud of smoke coming from the bottom of the oven. _Shit_ , she thought, Charlotte's lunch.

 **BiTB**

Charlotte sat in the enormous bed, as the chilled summer air blowing in through her window. She burrowed her small body deeper into the blankets her mother had wrapped her in. Usually, she slept safe and sound with her purple comforter, her butterfly blanket from her Aunt Rosalie, and her pale blue blanket from her Grandma Renee. On most nights, the latter was a must, but tonight, it was missing. A cheeky grin stretched out over her features, knowing the blanket's whereabouts. Her toothy smile didn't go unnoticed and unfortunately, neither did her shivering.

What's got you all smiley, Char?" Bella asked, returning from the dresser where she was laying her daughters clothes out for the next day. As she neared the bed, Bella raised her hand to Charlotte's forehead, brushing away some loose hairs. Furrowing her brow at no sign of a fever, she looked down at her daughter.

"Feeling all right, baby?"

Her brown eyes widened, and she nodded quickly, "Yes Mommy." Bella smiled and bent to kiss Charlotte's forehead when she noticed the lack of blue. She pulled the blankets down, examining the sheets. She sighed and started to search for it

"Where's the blanket you got from Grandma last year? No wonder you're so cold." Charlotte's cheeks started to get hot at her mother's words ... another trait she had inherited. However, this one ratted out her fibbing. She rolled over into the pillows in an attempt to hide.

Charlotte felt her mother back away, hearing the thump of her knees on the carpeted floor as she desperately searched under the bed. She let her mother look, but a green monster called guilt started to arrive in her mind. She'd promised Peter she'd come back out before she went to bed to bring him food. He said he didn't remember the last time he had a real meal. This worried Charlotte—where were his mom and dad? Didn't they cook for him? Charlotte didn't know what she would do without her mom's cooking.

"Mama, I can sleep wiff'out it!" Charlotte said, bravely.

 _"This is for Peter," she thought, her chest swelling with bravery_.

For him, she'd happily face the monsters in the closet without her usual protection. After all, he was nice enough to join her tea party this afternoon.

Bella moved to check the closet. She briefly dug through the thick rack of clothes in the back, peering at the floor to see if it had somehow gotten places in with Charlotte 's clothes. Not seeing anything, she gave up, closing the doors behind her.

"Are you sure, sweetie? Do you think these blankets," she said as she gestured to the remaining covers, "will be enough to save you from the…tickle monster?" Bella scrambled her arms, tickling the child's torso.

Charlotte cried out in giggles as she reached up and tried to tickle her mother back.

"Mommy!"

Bella tucked her daughter into bed once again and kissed her small head.

"Goodnight, Baby." Charlotte heard as her mother disappeared, shutting the door behind her. She lay there in momentary silence before another smile appeared on her face. She sat up, wriggling out of the tucked in covers.

 _"Now ..._ how am I going to get to the playhouse _?"_

 **BiTB**

Bella shut the lights off before retreating from her daughter's room, leaving the door open slightly. She paced down the hallway near the top of the stairs, leaning back on the wall. Her hands immediately went to her head, covering her eyes. What a day it had been. Commotion from everyone and their brother at work and then coming home to this? How could Jessica be so irresponsible? Bella was confident Charlotte knew better than to run off with some stranger, but she shuddered when she thought back to the chills in her veins when her little girl wasn't there to greet her at the door. Sighing, she rubbed her hands down the rest of her face. What to do? It was an internal battle between the common sense of a mother over the responsibilities that came with working full-time. An icy chill started in her veins, but Bella decided.

 _Fuck it, I will figure it out._

Once she was confident Charlotte had dozed off for the night, she sucked in a breath before heading downstairs. When she hit the bottom, hell hath no fury like the anger boiling inside her—the icy feeling long gone.

"Jessica, what in the hell is wrong with you?"

The woman waiting patiently on the couch sat up at her sharp tone.

"Bella, I'm sorry! I went out last night with some guy from my complex. Things got a little out of hand, and I didn't get home until very late—but I know how you are. I thought I would only doze off for a few minutes."

"Jessica, the fact that you would even consider 'resting your eyes' when my six-year-old is out alone in the yard is bewildering. How in God's name am I supposed to trust you with her?"

"Bella, she had some books with her and everything. She took out the cookies and juice you left for her. I thought she was going to be fine—I didn't know she was going to be out there for hours." Jessica put her arms to defend herself.

"Not to mention that I found peanut butter in the kitchen when I was trying to clean up the other mess you made. Seriously? You can't kill my child by leaving her outside, so you decided to bring the one thing she's allergic to into my house?" Bella seethed.

Jessica cringed at the harshness of her words, but the guilt flooded when she remembered Charlotte's severe peanut allergy.

"Shit, it wasn't for her, it was for me."

"I really hate to do this, but I can't have you around here anymore. I know you need the money and I know we've been friends for however many years, but damn it. I will give you the paycheck for the week, but this is it. I'll have to sort this out and figure out someone who can watch her and who has a little bit of common sense." Bella fisted her hair and put her hand on her hip.

Jessica was quick to respond.

"Bella, I can watch her tomorrow—I am not gonna make you scramble around for someone this last minute—"

"Honestly, Jess, it's better if you leave."

An exasperated huff, eye roll, and loud slam of the door later, Bella fell back on the couch, raising her cell phone to her face and began scrolling through contacts.

 **BiTB**

Charlotte awoke, surprised to see the room still darkened. A grin spread across her face as she looked at the clock on her bedside table; 12:13 AM. "Thanks," she whispered, to nobody in particular. She must have a fairy godmother watching over her or something, she thought. She knew this sneaking out thing was going to be tricky without the aid of her alarm, but she couldn't risk waking up her mom.

Because of her working hours, her mother would be fast asleep by now, and if she wasn't, she'd be too caught up in an old-time movie on television to hear her. At least she had to work tomorrow, it was worse on nights when her mother was off the next few days. Those were the nights she swore she could hear her late in the evening crying at whatever was on the screen.

She decided she was going to have to risk it.

As Charlotte slid out of bed, landing on the floor with a light thump, she grabbed four stuffed animals from the multitude on her dresser. Deceitfully, she arranged them underneath the blankets. When one didn't seem to stay in place, the stuffed lion who rudely didn't drink any of his tea at the party this afternoon, she tucked it under her arm and took it with her as she tiptoed into the hallway.

Lightly walking down the steps, gripping the railing because it was dark, Charlotte again thanked the stars for her mother's bedroom being on the other side of the hallway. As she reached the bottom, all the lights were off. Her mother must be in bed. With this knowledge and confidence, she made her way into the kitchen.

They were supposed to have lasagna for dinner, but thanks to Jessica's sleeping incident whatever she intended to cook Charlotte for lunch ended up a goopy mess on the bottom of the stove. Charlotte huffed at the thought and grabbed the small container of leftover pizza slices from their plan-B dinner as she adjusted the lion under her arm. After shutting the fridge, she went to the sliding doors and unlocked the handle with her free hand. She slid on her sandals that were abandoned earlier, pushed the long shades aside and opened the door just enough to fit her tiny frame. With a rush of the summer night air, she knew she was free.

Charlotte darted across the yard.

"Peter!" she whisper-yelled quietly, "Peter!"

The front door of the playhouse opened slightly, and Peter stuck out his head. The dirt that had once inhabited his hair was almost gone, leaving dark tints of color on his honey-colored locks. Bags were formed under his tired eyes, but he perked up the moment he saw Charlotte racing towards the playhouse

"Charlotte." He whispered, remembering her rule to stay quiet. He gripped the blue blanket around his body but opened the door all the way to make room for the girl and whatever else she carried. Peterspread out his arms to enclose Charlotte in a hug. She clutched the container and lion to her chest before he picked her up and swung her around until she was inside the house. He was happy to see she'd come back, happy to see she kept her promise.

They made their way to the small table where Charlotte set the container down and watched as Peter's eyes became bright. She then placed the small stuffed lion alongside it.

"Yo-You actually brought me something to eat?" Peter said, opening the lid. He stared at the slices of pizza as if he'd won the lottery. Swiftly, he brought the food to his mouth. Not a damn was given. Charlotte laughed at him before raising a hand to tap his shoulder.

"I also brought you Mr. Lion...he's supposed to be really brave or something. I thought he might help you sleep. Hey, don't eat so fast! My mommy says if I do that, I'll make myself sick. Then she'll have to take me to work with her." she said, her face scrunching up at the idea of going to work with her mother.

Peter dropped the blanket to the floor and used a small remaining piece of his shirt to wipe away the sauce stains around his mouth. He smiled down at Charlotte.

"Is your mom a business lady or something? My uncle Jazz runs a store back in Chicago. It's not very fun." He said, shaking his head.

"My mommy's a doctor, I think. She helps people when they're really sick or hurt badly. I don't like to be in the hospital with her. The people are always sad." she replied.

"Your mom's a doctor?" Peter said, this piece of information catching his attention, "does she work in town?"

Charlotte nodded, "Yeah. When my grandpa takes me to see her at work, he goes down the street and turns. Then we drive for a few minutes, and we're there. Like magic."

Peter smiled a genuine smile. _The hospital wasn't far from here._

Peter briefly thought back to the documents he saw on his uncle's desk in Chicago before he left home. He was supposed to have transferred to a hospital in Ohio three months ago. Peter remembered staring at the _welcome to town sign_ , comparing it to the name on the paper he'd stolen from the desk. He hoped he didn't cause too much trouble for his uncle, but he couldn't help it; he needed to get away, and his uncle was the only one who would understand.

 _He had too._

"My uncle's a doctor too. Have you ever thought about looking at your mom's job in another way? The people are sad, but she and my uncle make them better. Their job is to make them smile again." Peter said.

Charlotte's smile was bright as she watched Peter scarf down the rest of the leftover pizza. After a few minutes, she decided to go back inside, as her nightgown wasn't the best for parading around the yard in the middle of the night.

"Which room is yours?" Peter asked.

"It's on the other side, up the stairs, and down the hallway."

"Do you have a closet?"

"Of course! That's where I keep all my clothes, silly. Why, don't you have one?"

 **BiTB**

Hours later, the doorknob to Charlotte's closet squeaked lightly as Peter turned it. He looked behind him, shaking his hair from the rain outside, studying the small form tucked into the pillows and blankets on her massive bed. Releasing the doorknob, he moved his muddy bare feet over the carpet towards where a small arm dangled off the side. The neon green glow from the clock signified it was only a few hours until the morning light would flood into the window across the room. Peter's heart pulsed as his instinct took over and he ran his fingers over the thumping vein in Charlotte's wrist. Her heart rate was fast—she must be dreaming of something good.

He stuffed the animal called Mr. Lion under his arm and gulped as he turned back towards the closet. Bravery, right?

 **BiTB**

"Mom, is that you?" Bella called down the steps from in front of the vanity mirror running her fingers through her hair. After deciding it was probably going to get messed anyway, she huffed and gave up. She threw her dark brown hair into a high ponytail before glancing down at her watch. Her shoulders tensed, taking in the time and the fact that she was going to be late. She sighed and grabbed her hospital bag off the chair.

"Yeah, sorry, I forgot something in the car," Renee yelled from the living room, setting her stuff down on the coffee table before she sat on the couch.

Upstairs, Bella walked out of the bathroom and opened her daughter's door.

"Time to get up, Charlotte. The daylight is wasting away. Grandma is downstairs!" Bella called, heading over to the sleeping girl. She tickled her sides, causing squeals of joy as she pulled the blankets off and down to her feet. Before Bella stepped back to retrieve Charlotte's clothes from the dresser, she noticed a large blotch on her daughter's leg. It was dark in color, yellow surrounding it.

"Charlotte, what's that on your leg?" Her mother cried, immediately turning all attention to the dirt-covered bruise as her pale hands moved over it.

"I think...I fell yesterday, playing with Pet-" Charlotte covered her mouth with her tiny hand.

"Pet? Who's Pet, Char?"

"Uh, he's my imaginary friend. He plays with me all the time." Charlotte said, the idea suddenly popping into her head. Her old friend at school, Heidi, always told tales of her great imaginary friends.

"Oh really? Well, why don't you tell me about Pet while I clean up your leg? I think there are some wipes in your closet. Why didn't I see that yesterday?" Bella moved towards the white closet doors.

"Why is there dirt all over your carpet? Did you run up here with your shoes after you came in yesterday?" Bela rolled her eyes and kept moving.

"Mommy! His name is Pet, it's short for...Peter. He's my friend," she said.

Charlotte jumped off the bed, landing close to her mother. She grabbed the side of her shirt and started to tug with tremendous effort.

"Charlotte, stop. What's wrong?" Bella said, looking down at her daughter.

"Peter says not to go into the closet."

"And why would Peter say that?" Bella countered, ignoring her daughter as she opened the white sliding doors.

"Mommy!"

Bella ignored the high-pitched child, reaching forward and stepping inside to grab the wipes at the top of the shelf. When she had them, she pulled back, but something caught her foot. She tripped backward, hitting the floor with a slam.

"Mommy! Are you okay?" Charlotte cried running back towards her mother.

Bella picked herself off the floor, squinting her eyes at what had caused her to fall.

"Charlotte Elizabeth! How many times have I told you to pick up your toys after playing with them?" Bella said angrily.

"I didn't play with any toys, Mommy!"

"Then what's that?" she pointed towards the small stuffed lion on the floor of the closet. Beside the plush animal laid a ruffled blue blanket.

"And here's your blanket!" Bella exclaimed, though she scratched her head, thinking to herself that she checked the closet the previous evening.

How strange.

 **End Authors Note: I do not have a set schedule to update this story, but I will try to keep them somewhat timely. In RL, I am a senior in college in my last semester, so I have some stuff to deal with there (sigh). Anyway, I love to read the reviews! They remind me why I love to write! I am eager to see what everyone thinks of this chapter!**

 **Feel free to find me on Facebook-I am in some of the groups! (url is / ohandsarah)**

 **Check out some of my other stories in the meantime**

 **For the Love of a Family -** When an outlandish coven of nomads interrupt the baseball game of a certain golden-eyed family, Isabella Swan begins to question her allegiances. Twilight AU. Not an evil Bella, merely a confused one. **(Now posting)**

 **Yes to Fidelity -** reflections based on the Cullen family's realization of a human Bella's loyalty to Edward, their family, and their secrets. **(Coming soon)**

 _ **Till next time!**_

 **mariescullen~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! This one is a little shorter, but I think you'll find it well. Special shoutout to my Beta SunflowerFran for making my words nice and pretty. Her group "Twilight Fanfiction Pays it Forward" on FB is up for Favorite Fanfic Pimp Site a : / / in round 2 voting. Voting ends tomorrow night (3/3).**

Chapter 3

Peter shuddered as he slowly shut one of the closet doors, pulling it towards him, the light from the window disappearing into the small crack. He clutched the blanket tight to his chest and tried to focus on the stuffed animal leaning against his leg, hoping the lion would weigh him down like an anchor.

The closet was bigger than the one he was used to, and he'd gone in on his own free will. When the rain outside picked up, it was almost as if he had no other choice. His uncle constantly warned him about pneumonia and other illnesses that could be caught if he wasn't careful.

He fought and fought as the dread settled in, making goosebumps rise on his skin. He was used to these and had to fight it or wait it out. The boy bit his lip and counted his heartbeats, squeezing his eyes shut. His head swayed with lightheadedness. If his eyes were to have opened, the all-black room would have felt as though it was rocking on waves.

His hands rose to grasp his head as he placed it in between his legs to regulate his breathing. Memories flashed in his head as if the thunder outside was a harmonic cue for the horrors to replay.

 _A door slamming, the darkness coming abruptly as the locks were turned, ensuring Peter would not be going anywhere until someone released him_.

They said it was for his own protection, to guarantee he didn't run off. Peter's first time in the closet was when he was six years old. It was small; lined with crayons, paper, cans of nonperishables, juice boxes, and a bucket. He didn't mind it at first, but after six hours had passed and his dad finally let him out in a hazy stupor, it was apparent this was going to be a new tradition.

It wasn't the darkness that surrounded him that started the terror, but the movement and noises of the residents beyond it. As he grew, the toys had matured, and the locks became easier to pick with an old hairpin. He was meant to feel safe in the small room, but the stagnant air captured his breath in a chokehold.

 _Angry yelling, and then another voice screaming; a hand ripping the door open and tearing him out of the closet, dragging him into the room in the midst of her high._

He didn't recognize her expression, but the smirk distracted him from the bleary eyes of his mother.

Peter shuddered, pushing the rest of the memory out of his head, clutching the damp blanket. He swallowed back the bile in his throat and heaved quietly to get his breathing under control. He wanted to cry out—but he was afraid for Charlotte. Would her mother be the same way? He bit his lips harder as his heart slowed. He couldn't risk it.

Signaling the start of a new day, white rays began to stream through the crack in the door. Peter then realized he must have drifted off to sleep at some point during the night. He looked up to the ceiling, reaching to wipe away the sweat stuck to his forehead.

He moved forward to open the door but was interrupted by a noise down the hallway: a toilet flushing and a door opening. Again, the panic arose, and Peter made his way out of the closet. Deciding it would be a less obvious hiding spot, he dove and shimmied under Charlotte's bed behind the skirt, leaving the blanket and lion behind.

 **BiTB**

After finally getting a minute to catch her breath, Bella adjusted her ponytail and began to fill out portions of her patient 's chart. Looking up from her spot at the desk, she could see the emergency department was unusually slow. This was a good thing since today was the new MD's first day. Rumors spread like wildfire through the department that he was gorgeous and that the small-town hospital was destined to turn into an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Bella knew that working in the ED, she would most likely be seeing a lot of him.

She breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like after a few more rounds; she might actually be able to eat lunch in the cafeteria rather than in the on-call room.

Hearing the doors open, Bella glanced up from the chart. The pair walking through the hallway didn't seem to catch her eye at first, but she could see that the one closet to her was Mike: her parking lot arch nemeses. It was hard to ignore him as his head swung in her direction and his eyes stayed glued. She rolled her eyes and adjusted her white coat, attempting to conceal whatever apparent view Mike was trying to poach off her. She went to turn her head, but that was before she caught sight of the man walking next to Mike.

Bella's clipboard slid off the desk, landing on the linoleum floor with a clang. The rumors were apparently true. Ignoring the snickers from the other nurses at the desk, Bella knelt down to retrieve her charts. She could feel the heat blazing her cheeks as she felt eyes on her. She began to collect the papers but was surprised when she took in the white jacket in front of her. Shit, this is just like Grey's Anatomy. She looked up, meeting a pair of dim, forest green eyes. Her own must have doubled in size, because the man's face stretched into a small crooked grin. His eyes still seemed distant, but brighter.

"I hate charting as much as the next person, but I don't think I've ever seen someone actually throw them on the floor in anger."

She laughed as his attempt to lighten the situation, feeling a small smile spread across her face.

"Actually, the floor is just a bit slick, don't you think?" Bella gathered her papers, taking the ones he picked up, and clipped them to the board. He chuckled at her response, causing his tousled auburn hair to sway before his knees rose up off the floor. When he was standing, he reached a pale white hand out to her. She took it, ignoring her sudden rapid heartbeat.

"Don't those janitors know when to put up a wet floor sign?" His voice was light-hearted, but his eyes said something different. Something darker.

"Maybe we should have a word with them. Thanks for your help. I'm Bella."

"Anytime. I'm Edward."

It looked as though he was going to say something else before his companion interrupted him.

"Come on, man. I'll show you to the cafeteria before I need to go check on some patients. Hi Bella, wait for me in the deck later?" Mike ended the statement with his signature smirk.

"Newton, I'd rather jump _off_ the deck," Bella narrowed her eyes, clutching the chart to her chest before smiling at the new M.D., "it was nice to meet you, Edward. I'm sure I will see you around."

She turned away, moving quickly around the corner to finish her paperwork. She was certain she heard a derogatory word echo off Newton's tongue.

 **BiTB**

The rain echoed on the windows in the kitchen as Charlotte stared out at the yellow playhouse. She felt bad as she noticed the high amount of rainwater flooding the grass surrounding it. Rain wasn't an uncommon thing, so she didn't worry about the playhouse; she worried for the boy inside of it. She hoped the roof wouldn't leak or the wind damage it.

The sizzle of bread hitting a frying pan behind her caused her to turn her head. Her grandma, Renee, had been well-briefed on Charlotte's disappearing act the prior day, so naturally, she wasn't letting Charlotte out of her sight near the kitchen doors.

"Grilled Cheese is almost done, Char. Get what you want to drink out the fridge so we can eat lunch." Her grandmother instructed, pulling the bread from the steaming pan. A roar of thunder cracked across the sky as Charlotte took one last look at the playhouse through the glass doors. The pale yellow color contrasted harshly against the dark sky.

"So, Char, excited for your upcoming birthday?" Renee asked, pulling out the chair and setting the sandwiches on the table.

Reaching for a sandwich and shoving it in her mouth, Charlotte's eyes went wide. She nodded with a stuffed-cheek smile, "Yes, Grandmwa."

"Oh that's cute," laughed Renee as she rolled her eyes.

Charlotte and her grandmother sat in silence as they dug into the rest of their lunch. A full belly did nothing but add to her grogginess. Her late-night adventure was beginning to catch up with her.

Charlotte's eyes began to drift, and she had to make an obvious effort to keep them open as she finished her meal.

Renee smiled, taking her plate, "why don't you go on and take a nap upstairs, Charlotte?"

As the little girl made her way up the steps, Renee focused on washing the dishes from lunch. She was scrubbing the pan when a scream erupted from the top of the stairs.

The pan hadn't even sunk to the bottom before Renee was on the move.

 **End Author's Note: ;) Reviews are like birthday cake (and my birthday is Monday) so you know ;) Haha! See you next time!**

 **Connect with me on FB! /ohandsarah**

 **-mariescullen**


	4. Chapter 4

**Authors note: *calmly steps out from behind curtain* uh..hi folks. It's been...a...while :D I did not mean to take a three month hiatus but unfortunately some real life stuff got pushed to the front. On the positive side, I graduated from college (at least till its time to start my masters in August) and moved to the other side of the country for a cool new job. I'm eager to get back to writing regularly and hopefully we can get this story going on a regular schedule.**

 **Thanks to SunflowerFran for as usual being a wonderful beta reader. Check out her group on facebook "Twilight Fanfiction Pays it Forward"**

Chapter 4

As quickly as the scream left her mouth, Charlotte's body was filled with regret when she saw what was in front of her.

Peter had absolutely scared the living daylight out of her. Instead of being stowed away in the playhouse outside, battling the rain, he was tightly curled up into a ball near the edge of the bed. The weather must have gotten bad to make him sneak into the house at some point during the night. She took a second to look over him; the tightness that came with his usual worry had vanished, but he began to stir; most likely the aftermath of Charlotte's sudden scream. It was then she heard the stomping of feet racing up the stairs, pulling her from her daze.

She had to act fast.

Peter yawned and opened his eyes to take in the now light surroundings. His search for visuals was cut short when he was met with the force of his six-year-old roommate, charging him from across the bed like a linebacker.

His eyes widened as the small girl dove at him, causing them both to fall off the far side of the bed. They hit the carpet with a thud, Charlotte sitting on top of Peter proudly. He was fully awake now, shock overwhelming his once peaceful face.

"What the hel-"

"Keep your mouth shut! If Mom hears a swear word, I'm gonna owe her money from MY swear jar." Charlotte clamped a hand over Peter's mouth, silencing him as she continued, "stay down! My grandma is coming! Shhh!"

Charlotte's shushing was cut off by the sound of the door ripping open. Renee burst into the room, eyes scanning every crevice for Charlotte.

"Charlotte?" She asked, "what is the matter?"

Charlotte popped her head up from the hidden side of the bed. Renee put a hand on her chest at the sudden appearance of her granddaughter.

"Nothing, Grandma; what do you mean?" Charlotte asked, batting her large, doe eyes in the direction of her grandmother.

"Well, why did you scream?"

"Umm ... I was out of glitter. I thought I had pink glitter to make something for Mommy, but I don't." Charlotte lied easily, frowning up to her grandma.

"That's all? Well, when it lightens up a bit outside, I can take you to the store to get some."

Charlotte was in the clear, she thought. She grinned and nodded her head eagerly.

"But who were you talking to? I thought I heard you saying something."

"Grandma, isn't it a little early to be hearing voices?"

Renee huffed and rolled her eyes.

"You're worse than your mother at your age." Renee turned back to head downstairs, leaving the little girl in her bedroom. Once she heard the creaking of the stairs, she jumped back on her bed, glaring at Peter who was still as stone, glued to the carpet.

"What are you doing up here … in the house?" Charlotte said.

"Uh…the rain got really bad last night. It came through some areas of the little playhouse. I…I didn't want to get sick outside. You told me where your room was yesterday so I thought I would come and sleep on the floor."

"You were in here all night? My mommy was in here this morning!" Charlotte said, scared about what would happen if her mom were to discover the boy in her bedroom.

"I was in the…closet most of the night. I hid under the bed when I heard footsteps this morning." Peter confessed, moving to sit up and cross his legs, still looking at the floor.

"Is that why my blanket and the lion were there?"

Peter half-smiled and nodded, "I didn't want your toys to get ruined in case they got wet."

Charlotte laughed as she looked over at the closet, "well you are brave! A lot like the lion in Wizard of Oz—that's a good book. My mommy read it to me before. I could never have spent the night in the closet by myself."

Peter froze with fear, the flashbacks that struck him the previous evening circling around in his head. Even worse, he pictured the small girl in his place, stuck in the closet. It sounded like her mom was kind, but the ice-cold fear still ran down his spine.

He shook his floppy, dirty hair, running his hand through it—a habit he'd picked up from his uncle. "I'm not brave. I'm…afraid of closets."

Charlotte smiled at him, jumping down towards the floor, "It's alright, Peter. My mom tells me the monsters aren't real."

* * *

The cafeteria was bustling with doctors and medical staff parading quickly through the line; cell phones glued to the ears of white coats and blaring pagers strapped to the scrub pants of individuals running to answer them. The hospital chaos made Bella thankful she brought her lunch for this particular, thirty-minute lunch break. She found an empty, secluded table near the back of the room away from the hustle and bustle.

She was five minutes into blowing on her steaming rotini when two chairs skidded across the floor, signaling that she was no longer alone. Bella looked up mid-chew, brushing the hair behind her ear that was falling from the knot at her nape. She glared at the blonde menace now across from her. Mike's hubristic smile was met with a dramatic eye roll. She sighed before acknowledging the quiet doctor directly to her left. It was the new MD from earlier in the day; the kind one, who helped her pick up the charts from the floor while cracking jokes the entire way down.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, Bella thought to herself.

The man must still be getting used to this place because, from their brief meeting earlier in the day, he didn't seem the type to hang around Mike Newton's hospital, trashcan posse. She raised her head to look at him once again, but not before realizing her mistake. His forest green eyes met hers, and she felt her heart rate increase. A gentle smile came upon his face as he remembered their amusing first encounter. The smile didn't last though. Instead, it formed into a playfully, smug smirk as Bella's eyes widened at her acquaintance. In an attempt to save herself from further embarrassment, (or from ruining her hospital scrubs), Bella looked away from the beautiful man and back to his less-than counterpart.

"Newton, and Edward, was it? What brings you to my lair?" She jested, looking down to stab a noodle from her container.

God, she thought. What was this, high school? Despite her sarcastic comment, she could feel the heat building in her cheeks. It was a trait that gave away all her emotions; especially to her family. Bella briefly tried to imagine Charlotte and Renee if they were sitting at the table, laughing at her expense. Though she was sure her daughter would be the first to reveal her mother's embarrassment. Filtering wasn't her child's best ability.

Edward let out a laugh, opening his own container of green leafy bits for lunch. Newton adjusted the cafeteria tray in front of him.

"Edward here wanted to meet some interesting people during his lunch."

"And you immediately thought of me?" Bella deadpanned.

"Well, I also wanted to talk to you about last night," Mike added suggestively, wagging his brow.

From the corner of her eye, Bella could see a grimace flash across Edward's face. It was apparent he didn't want to be part of or intrude on whatever 'moment' his tablemates were going to engage in. She watched his eyes trail over to the door as he bit his lip. His eyes flashed back towards her just as she was moving her own away.

Bella scoffed and rolled her eyes. Again.

"You mean last night when you tried to corner me in the parking garage? Mike, I really don't want to do this. We went out once, a long time ago, and Charlotte didn't like you. I'm trying very hard to be civil with you, but you sure as hell know her opinion reigns above everyone else's, including my own; which of you, is diminishing very quickly."

Before Mike could respond, Edward saw his chance to jump into the conversation, a silent flutter of relief running down his spine at her answer. Bella could see he was desperate to change the topic, probably eager to avoid some sort of confrontation on his first day.

"Who is Charlotte?" Edward asked, looking genuinely interested. He smiled at her, eager to see her smile again like she had earlier in the day.

"She's a little brat—," Newton was cut off by the shrill screech of his pager. "Damn it! I have to go. You gonna be okay making it to the meeting?" He asked Edward casually.

Edward appeared uneasy about the initial part of Newton's response. Was he going to just sit there and blatantly insult her loved one, whoever this girl was? He shook his head before muttering a disinterested, "yeah."

Edward turned his head back to Bella, ignoring Mike as he continued to gather his things to leave.

"Charlotte is my daughter. She'll be seven next week, and she's very wise for her age," she replied. "She thinks she has to look out for me. And Newton just can't take no for an answer."

"Ah, like Charlotte's Web!" Edward laughed, smiling again. "That was one of my favorite books as a kid."

Bella smiled and laughed. Charlotte's Web was one of her favorite books as a child as well, and a fresh wave of a new emotion swept through her body. She liked this new doctor; he was thoughtful and humorous. It would be nice to have him around, she thought. Someone to actually have nice conversations with that weren't about other men working in the hospital. She hoped someone else wouldn't snatch his attention by the time she comes back to work in a few days.

"What happened if you don't mind me asking?"

Bella smirked before launching into a tale revolving around Dr. Newton, her snarky six-year-old, and the grocery store clerk.

The rest of the half hour was full of conversation, and getting to know one another. She learned Edward was a doctor from a few hours west, coming to a smaller town to get away from the rush. He wanted to settle down eventually and didn't think he wanted to do that in the heart of the windy city.

He learned Bella grew up not far from here and stayed local to be near her family. She talked about her daughter; the love and passion evident on her face whenever she spoke about her little girl. Though he didn't ask directly, there was no implication that Charlotte's father was in the picture.

He liked it when she laughed; smiling looked good on her. Her passion for her family was almost by rivaled by her passion for her work as a Physician's Assistant. Though his mind raced to other areas of his life where she could assist him, he kept his face relaxed. It had been a while since he met anyone he could be interested in, but as their conversation continued into the lunch hour, he found himself retreating back to that thought.

As their time together was drawing to a close, Bella asked a question that had been bothering her. Edward was supposed to begin work a few months ago but had delayed his arrival for some reason. The already, short-staffed ER department had called for lots of overtime to cover the position change. It wasn't that she was unhappy to work, but she was curious what could cause him to push back his start date, especially having a bit of inside knowledge about the salary and benefits the new doctor had been offered.

"Weren't you supposed to indulge yourself in the goodness that is small town living a few months ago?" she smiled at him, reassuring him she was asking out of her own curiosity and not for the sake of the hospital rumor mill.

"I was, yes, but I had some personal stuff arise." He tried to smile back at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. Something flashed in his head, and it was clear that whatever it was bothered him. Bella could not bring herself to ask before the shrill beep from Edward's watch rang out, signaling the end of their time together.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I really have to get to this meeting." Edward stood, towering over Bella even more so with her still. She sincerely hoped she didn't upset him. He seemed to be in a rush as he rose, grabbing his Tupperware and heading out of the cafeteria.

Bella looked down at what was left of her lunch. Guilt crept up her spine, and suddenly she felt no better than some of the prying nurses down the hall. Her own beeping watch made her release a sigh as she put the lid on her container.

She didn't hear him until he bumped the table with his arm.

Edward had come back, one hand running through his hair and the other shoved into the pocket of his white coat.

"Did you need help getting to the meeting?" Bella questioned, looking up to meet his eyes. Though the hospital isn't that big, she thought to herself.

"Actually, I was seeing if you would be interested in grabbing a coffee sometime…when we're off the clock. White hospital cafeteria walls don't seem to be the most stimulating environment for conversation." Edward spoke quietly and nervously, tearing his eyes away from her to look at the floor.

Bella laughed softly, her guilt from before fading away.

"If I'm coming on too strong or sound like Michael, then you can just..." He trailed off.

She pulled out a small prescription pad from the pocket of her jacket, scribbling something on it before tearing it off and holding her hand out to him from the table.

"I really hope this isn't a prescription for Xanax," he said, frowning and taking it from her.

"Ah, yes, the other fun blues." She winked, standing, and heading toward the doors.

He stared down at the ten digits on the piece of paper, chuckling to himself before following her towards the hall.

 **End A/N: Reviews get a sneak peak at Chapter 5! Hoping to get that one up soon!**

 **Feel free to connect with me on FB! I am in a bunch of the FB groups or search facebook with / ohandsarah!**

 **Happy reading!**

 **mariescullen (Sarah)**


	5. Chapter 5

**As always, thank you to my wonderful beta Fran! Feel free to find me on social media!**

 **5.**

The rain outside lightened to a drizzle. Charlotte had spent the afternoon upstairs reading books to Peter while he sat there and listened happily. Renee must have thought she'd fallen asleep because she did not come up the stairs again to check. Shutting the book, Charlotte looked over at Peter, who looked worn and dirty from his journey. She wondered when the last time was that he had taken a bath. Her mother made her take one every night.

She voiced her thoughts to him, and he shrugged, not knowing the last time he was able to take one since he left home. After all, he didn't want to risk losing his clothes.

Charlotte sprang up from her spot, running over to the closet looking to the side. She found a small basket her mother kept in case her cousin Jake ever stayed with them. It wasn't filled with much, just swim trunks, a few basketball shorts, and some short sleeve T-shirts.

She pulled them out and showed them to Peter, who raised his eyebrows.

"Will a size …" she looked at the small tag and squinted "L fit you? I think that means big kid, so you should be okay."

He shrugged and started to pick up different items she tossed his way in a friendly game of catch.

"Grandma is taking me to the craft store to buy glitter. Mommy has a really nice bathtub in her room if you don't mind smelling like strawberries. There are fluffy towels too." Charlotte said.

As if on cue, Renee called for Charlotte from down the steps, instructing her to get ready so they could go to the store and stop at the diner for dinner before her mother came home.

Charlotte grabbed her coat from her closet before turning to Peter and heading out the door.

"Turn right for hot like a pot but turn left for cold like gold!"

 **BitB**

Bella looked down at her cell phone, biting her lip in frustration as she powered it on for the first time since the beginning of her shift. The nasty texts came barreling in from her so-called 'best friend' causing her phone to freeze from the vast amount.

Jessica and her mother were really letting her have it for her actions the previous night. Who knew caring about your child was a crime? And besides, she was paying Jessica for the week. She could understand Jessica's anger, but thought at some point she would see Bella's side and relent. She grumbled as she continued across the bridge connecting the hospital and the parking deck. It was dark out, a crack of thunder pulling her away from the dimly lit phone screen. She quickened her pace, eager to get home.

The fresh rain made the pavement slick as Bella pulled onto the highway. The sleekness of the roadway cautioned her to keep her speed at the limit. She turned the heat up, allowing it to assist her in relaxing from her long shift. Other drivers sped past, zipping along the wet highway. Her calm daze was interrupted by the blaring sound of her phone ringing. She quickly glanced over towards the passenger seat, fire rising in her eyes as she saw the photo of Jessica flashing on the screen of her iPhone. She reached to grab it, but the shakiness of the vehicle caused the phone to slide in between the seats.

"Could this day get any worse?" Bella kept one hand firm on the wheel, before reaching her arm to grab the blaring phone, eager to tell Jessica right where she could shove her friendship.

During her effort, the Mazda's speed lowered to a crawl. An angry driver behind her honked and indignantly accelerated the engine as they changed lanes.

Bella felt it before she realized what was happening. In an instant, the passing car swiped the side of her vehicle. The world did not turn to slow motion as it did in movies; instead, it was fast and very real. The impact of the other vehicle, along with the slickness of the road swiftly careened her car into the concrete, Jersey barrier lining the right side of the roadway, bringing the right side of the vehicle in towards the center, and into Bella in the process.

Glass sprayed over her from the impact; the right window and the windshield shattering at the same time. She struggled to move out of the way as a new type of pain shot up here arm into her shoulder. Through her bloody vision, she saw her arm crushed between the seat and center console. Witnessing the sight before her sent icy chills through her body, numbing it with every beat of her heart as she took in the realization.

The phone continued to blare as Bella tried to get hold of her breathing. She put her head back against the seat as much as she could, ignoring the blood oozing down her face. Her eyes were starting to get heavy as she saw lights flashing around her, and sirens wailing in the distance.

 **BiTB**

Renee held Charlotte's hand across the table at the diner. Her granddaughter's head was glued to the window, watching the rain fall outside. Renee didn't know if something was wrong with the child, but she knew she had to ask.

"What's wrong, Char? You haven't touched your green beans," Renee said, running her eyes over the young girl's face.

"How long have we been gone?" Charlotte asked.

"Uh…let me see." She pulled out her cell phone from her pocket, clicking the button to wake it from its sleep position, "probably about an hour or so, why? Your mom should be getting home soon."

Charlotte let her shoulders rest. One hour should have been plenty of time for Peter to take a bath, right? She hoped he didn't leave a mess that her mom would find when she got home. She wasn't sure how she would explain that one.

"Eat your beans," Renee chided, looking down at her phone, turning her head in confusion as it began to vibrate with an unknown number.

Charlotte didn't pay attention as she began to shove the green vegetables into her mouth as her grandma answered her phone. She did, however, look up when the fork Renee was using to scrape together small bits of food hit her plate with a clang.

Her grandma shot up from her seat, leaving Charlotte in the booth by herself. She watched as her grandma quickly made it to the counter, pulled money from her purse, and paid for their meal. She hurried back and threw a small wad of ones onto the table.

Renee reached for Charlotte's hand.

"Honey, we need to go. Forget about the green beans."

"Won't Mommy be mad if I don't eat my vegetables?" Charlotte responded, confused by her grandma's actions.

"Er…I don't think she's going to mind this time, baby." Renee said, her face showing the sadness that ran through her after the phone call she just received.

"Come quickly, Charlotte, we need to go, now."

 **BitB**

Edward froze when he saw the woman's petite frame strapped to the stretcher. He had been at the hospital for several hours, but surely his mind couldn't be playing tricks on him already. She was barely recognizable with the bulky brace around her slim neck. Dried blood from open cuts caked her forehead as the EMT's rushed her through the doors to the Emergency Department.

"What do we have?" Dr. Gerandy, the ER doctor who had relieved Edward of his duty, did not recognize the woman.

"Car vs. barrier, barrier won. BP is low, lacerations from the glass; right arm is the worst of it—it was caught in-between the seats. Fire used the hydraulic to get her out; right side of the car was caved in."

"Dr. Gerandy, it's Bella Swan," a trauma nurse, Lauren, said, "she left here about an hour and a half ago."

Edward furrowed his brow in confusion. She had just agreed to go to coffee with him earlier in the day, and now he was seeing her again, but not in the way he thought. His breathing was labored as he stared down the hallway. The doctor in him wanted eagerly to jump in and assist, but the nurses were badgering him for staying over on his first day of work. They wouldn't like it if they found out he and Bella were going on a date, either. He wanted to move; to get away from the sight, but he just stared, frozen.

"Was her family notified?" Lauren asked, concerned for her friend on the gurney.

"Yes, her emergency contact was called. They are supposed to be on their way here."

"They?" Dr. Gerandy asked.

"She has a daughter."

Was this the way the world worked? Edward didn't know her well, yet, but from their conversations, he could tell she was stunning inside and out. From the way she talked about her daughter, the love evident in her light brown eyes to the way she cared about her patients, the passion reflecting in every word she spoke. Was fate really going to jeopardize something that could have made this small town bearable? Hadn't he already suffered enough in the past months?

He bit his lip, staring after them. He followed them, cautiously trailing in the back to see what was happening. There was barking from the current attending about bloodwork, X-rays, MRIs, as they picked and prodded at her, littering the floor of Bay 1.

He decided to listen to the chatter as the cacophony of chaos continued. Amongst the madness, he heard a small voice.

"Hi there. Can you tell me your name? Do you know where you are?"

"Yes, Lauren. My name is Bella, and I assume we're not at the Four Seasons." Bella smirked at her friend, "my head hurts, but I know where I am. I remember what happened—apparently, the damn drivers in this town didn't think I was driving fast enough for them on a wet highway."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Lauren continued to question her friend, shining a light into her eyes.

"What year is it?"

"2019."

"And the president is…?"

"A fucking nutjob."

Lauren snorted before looking up to Dr. Gerandy, "no signs of head trauma, but we will watch her just in case."

"You doing all right, Bella? We're going to take you down to X-ray."

Edward couldn't hear them as they began to move her on a rolling bed towards the lab. As they passed him, one of the nurses he'd chatted with, Tanya, turned her head.

"Edward, you need to leave! If the rumors are true that you're getting involved with her, you can't be here. You need to go home."

"Page me when there's an update?" Edward asked pleadingly. He wasn't sure if it was the emotion in his eyes or the fear that captured every other feature in his face that broke Tanya's hard shell.

"I will. Keep your phone on." She sighed and continued with the doctors. He heard mutterings of paging Plastics and Ortho before they disappeared around the corner.

 **BitB**

Renee entered the hospital through the automatic doors, holding Charlotte's hand as she trailed behind her. The waiting room was quiet as the bottoms of Charlotte's tennis shoes squeaked across the shiny linoleum floor.

"Hey, why are we at Mommy's work?" Charlotte said, looking around the entrance. She was fascinated by the fancy chandelier in the large room.

Hurriedly, Renee made a beeline for the help desk situated near the front of the room. An older woman looked up from behind a monitor, pushed up her glasses, and meeting her eyes.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for my daughter. Isabella Swan? She was brought in earlier…they called me…She works here..."

"Of course. She was brought in a while ago…I think the doctors are still in the back with her. Poor dear. I'm going to have you wait in the main waiting room right now, but I am going to check for an update. Can I get you anything?" The nurse, Angela, from her nametag, stood from her seat and then saw Charlotte.

"How are you, Charlotte? Can I get you some water?"

"Yes, that would be okay," Renee said, giving the woman a small smile as Angela handed her two small bottles from a small fridge near her.

"Thank you," Charlotte said, taking the bottle from her grandmother, "where's Mommy?"

Discomfort flashed in Angela's eyes, and she frowned. Renee took a deep breath.

"I'll call you when I get an update." Angela moved back to sit in the chair, picking up the phone at the desk.

Renee pulled Charlotte away from the desk towards the corner of the waiting room where Charlotte climbed into a bulky chair next to her grandmother. Renee held Charlotte close to her side, hugging her tightly.

She wasn't sure what happened to her daughter. Was it serious? Was it just a minor accident? They didn't tell her much on the phone beside the fact that the accident occurred. They just encouraged her to get to the hospital as fast as she could

It was the way her grandmother held her that made Charlotte's heart start to pound. Something was wrong. Her mind, once racing with concerns for Peter having enough time to get cleaned up, was now empty. They didn't come to the hospital in the late evening to visit her mother on the job; she knew that. Her grandma said her daughter was brought in…did her mother have an accident of some kind? Charlotte recalled searching the parking lot for the familiar black car but was saddened when she couldn't see it. Maybe her mother parked in the garage building on the other side of the hospital? Charlotte was pulled from her thoughts when a droplet of water hit her shoulder.

"Grandma, what's wrong?" Charlotte wondered. The small girl reached up with a tiny finger to wipe away the light tears running down her grandmother's face.

"Baby, Mommy was in an accident on the way home. The rain made the roads slippery. They had to bring her back here so they could make her feel better."

"But...," Charlotte said, confused as her insides began to ache, "they don't need to make her feel better. Isn't it _her_ job to make other people feel better?" Charlotte's thoughts were clouded. That was her mom's job, right? It didn't make sense why she needed it done for her. Her mind thought back to a conversation she had with Peter. She told him that her mother made people better, so this was going to be hard to explain. Her insides were throbbing now, and she still didn't know why. Her mother always made her feel better; when she'd read to her before bed, make her favorite dinner, play games with her in the playhouse.

Renee laughed without humor through the tears that were still running down her face.

"Yes, it is her job…but what about when she needs to feel better?"

Charlotte's hands were shaking now as the realization hit her. Where was her mom? Was she going to feel better? Who would help her?

Tears flooded Charlotte's eyes as she looked up to meet her grandmother's.

"That's my job," Charlotte said.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi! Special thanks to Fran for being the best Beta as usual!**

 **Chapter 6**

"Conscious and cracking some bad-humored jokes. Taking to X-ray and sutures."

The text message on the bright phone screen reflected in Edward's eyes. He sighed with relief. Having her conscious just a little bit after she arrived at the hospital was a good sign. How Tanya already knew he and Bella were becoming involved was beyond him as they only had a few interactions, and it was his first day of work. They did spend a considerable amount of time in the cafeteria, chatting away before he had to attend a meeting with the chief of the hospital. He supposed that was enough fodder for the hospital rumor mill to be turning for the week. He hoped it didn't reflect badly on him, or her. It wasn't against the rules, per se, to date co-workers, but advised not to share it with the rest of the hospital.

Edward purposely stuck around the hospital for the past hour—using the excuse of checking on his patients and ensuring his paperwork didn't stack up, wanting to start his new position organized. He seemed as if he was going to be a welcomed addition to the hospital, so nobody said anything against his eagerness to stay. He felt confident enough with Tanya's update to throw in the towel for the evening.

Entering the locker room, he pulled off his white coat and hung it on a hook in his designated locker. Swiftly, he swapped his scrubs for slacks and the long-sleeved Polo he'd brought in earlier. Pulling out a gym bag, he shoved his clothes inside before slamming the door shut and tossing the bag over his shoulder. Gathering the rest of his belongings, he headed out towards the front of the hospital. The hospital wasn't small, but it wasn't large either, so he didn't expect it to be crowded at this hour by any means.

He passed down by the hallway, entering the ER waiting room and entrance. Some of the nurses in the triage station next to the doors giggled and waved at him as he was leaving. He could feel his cheeks redden and gestured back quickly, clutching the strap of his duffel tighter as he approached the other side of the quiet room. People dotted the lined chairs. He noticed an older looking brunette woman and a small child huddled together in the corner.

Another older woman he had not yet had the pleasure of meeting occupied the wooden service desk across from the triage center. As he approached, she looked up from her paperwork and smiled.

"Ah, you must be Doctor Cullen! So nice to finally meet you. My name is Angela. I've heard from a few of the other ladies that you were starting this week." She stood from the rolling chair, leaning over the desk to shake his hand.

Edward reached out to meet her and smiled, "please, just Edward."

She smiled at him, leaning back into her chair, "nothing exciting happening to keep you on tonight?" Angela joked. Nothing too serious had come into the hospital since Bella's crash, which was playing out to be less severe than they originally thought.

"Not much. I was finishing some paperwork and waiting to hear about someone before I wrapped it up for the night. I wanted to get things going on a good foot," Edward smiled at her.

"Well, dear, I think things are going to be just fine. We're pretty excited to get a doctor like you in the emergency department. Off-topic, but when you were back there, did you happen to hear anything about Bella Swan? She's a PA in the ER like you, but you may not have met her yet—I heard some chatter from triage that she wasn't as bad as she looked, and I'm still hoping that's the case."

"Is her family here, have they not sent out an update?" Edward said, moving his head to observe the few people in the waiting room. His eyes settled upon the older brunette woman and the small child, who looked half asleep. As if she could feel his eyes burning into her, the little girl opened her eyes in a yawn. Even from a distance, Edward knew where he'd seen those eyes before. The child's reaction caused the older woman to look down and follow her granddaughter's stare. _This must be Bella's family_. _This girl, wiping wispy locks of hair that had escaped from her messy braided hair, must be Charlotte._

"They are here, but I didn't want to tell them anything based off what I heard from others," Angela replied, confirming Edward's suspicion by trailing her eyes towards Bella's family.

Edward pulled his phone from his jean pocket, quickly flipping to Tanya's text message, "that's all I know right now. I worked with Tanya a lot today, and she was kind enough to share this information." Angela read the message and smiled to herself.

"Well, I guess the other rumor is true," Angela winked. She got off her chair and began to dig through a purse under the desk, "time for a quick smoke break."

"Wow, Newton was right about the rumor mill working faster than the doctors around here," Edward smirked as Angela passed by him. She laughed and waved him off before making her way towards a side door, not wanting to loiter near the main entrance.

Edward looked over his shoulder towards Bella's daughter and her companion. The little girl was still staring at him. He sighed, and with a quick dart of his eyes to the nearly empty triage desk behind the glass, made his way over to the other side of the room.

"Hi, you're Bella's family, right?" Edward wanted to approach them as gently as he could, knowing what it's like to be in the panicked mindset of uncertainty over a family member. He quickly pushed the incoming thoughts out of his mind and focused on the older woman who sat up straight and focused on him.

"I'm her mother, Renee."

"I'm Edward Cullen; I work in the ER and am a friend of Bella's."

He extended his hand, and she took it, shaking it lightly. Renee assumed this wasn't an update as the man was dressed in business casual clothing, the duffle bag by his feet a token of him leaving for the night. However, since an hour had already passed since they had arrived, she would take any information regarding her daughter.

He smiled at Charlotte, extending his hand to her as well.

"And you must be Charlotte," Edward smiled down at the girl who was now wide-awake. Her eyes widened at him, as she took his hand, "wow, you're really polite!"

"You look like a prince!" Charlotte squealed, laughing and turning red as Edward laughed back, "My mommy likes it when I'm polite."

"Charlotte!" Renee scolded but laughed along with her granddaughter.

"Unfortunately, I don't have an actual update, but I am sure someone is going to come out to talk to you soon. In fact, I will page someone to do so. Between you and me, though, she is awake and they're waiting to take her to X-ray. I know it's been a little crazy back there so they were probably waiting until they could bring you back to see her.

Renee nodded. She decided to keep her mouth shut about her disdain for the organization of the hospital. Instead, she smiled at the handsome man next to her, thankful for his words and the fact that Bella had a friend who seemed to care about her.

"A friend on the floor told me she was cracking bad jokes as soon as she made it through the doors," Edward said lightly.

Charlotte and Renee laughed at the same time.

"That sounds like Mommy. I laugh with her, though sometimes she tells me it's not very nice to laugh at people."

Edward smiled down at the girl, convinced entirely she was every bit as sarcastic as her mother was. He began to stand and pick up his bag.

Renee placed her hand on his arm, catching him before he left.

"Thank you, I appreciate that, I really do. Please feel free to come to see her any time once everything gets situated."

"I may just have to do that," Edward said.

* * *

After Dr. Cullen left, Renee sat back in her seat, thankful for this bit of information. She saw Edward on his phone as he was leaving the building and hoped he was paging someone to get them an official update. He introduced himself as her daughter's _friend_ , so she did her best not to stare after him as he walked away. Though it was difficult.

Lucky Bella.

Next to her, Charlotte was in deep thought. Her hands were pressed on her cheeks, head leaning against the plaster wall. Her mom was going to be okay, at least, that's what she got from Edward's message. There was something else about him, though. Something familiar. Something in his face she recognized from somewhere, but the soon-to-be seven-year-old racked her brain without success. He did look like a prince, though. Her mind went back to the story of Rapunzel she had recently read. Maybe he was royalty, with his green eyes and dark hair.

Charlotte voiced her thoughts aloud, "Was that Mommy's boyfriend?"

"Charlotte!" Renee scolded, surprised again, "don't assume things." The way her grandmother's eyes met hers, it was apparent she also wanted the answer to this question.

"I sure hope so. He sure was cute. Wasn't he, Char?" Renee laughed at her granddaughter.

Just then, the doors to the back of the emergency department opened. An older man in scrubs carrying a clipboard looked around the waiting room. Recognizing the similarities from what his reports told him, he assumed this was the family of Bella Swan. He approached them with a smile.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Gerandy, Are you Renee? Isabella Swan's emergency contact?"

Renee stood up and nodded, eager to hear something new regarding her daughter.

"Well, your daughter is stable and conscious. She was brought in earlier after it looks like her vehicle struck a concrete barrier on the highway. I do not know specific details about the accident other than it seemed as if the rain played a heavy part. But I am certain an officer will be contacting Isabella to go over specifics. She did suffer fractures to her forearm, both the ulna and radius from the impact. These fractures are what we consider open; meaning a portion of her bone has punctured the skin. We are going to take her in for surgery to fix this—we're waiting on confirmation from our orthopedic specialist and an OR. For right now, since the wound is open, we administered antibiotics and a tetanus shot. Her hand and fingers are all right." Dr. Gerandy said, looking at Renee. He did not want to frighten the small girl next to her.

"Luckily, there was no major damage to her upper arm that will require surgery. I'm thinking just some resting and physical therapy. She did hit her head, and we will continue to monitor that, but everything seems to be all right there. She has some lacerations in the face that are being sutured as we speak before we prep her for surgery. Do you have any questions I can answer?" The doctor said, looking now at both members of Bella's waiting party.

"How long is the surgery going to take? Are we going to be able to see her before?" Renee asked.

"It will be a few hours. We are going to take her in as soon as possible due to the risk of infection. We will be able to let you in to see her as soon as she is in recovery." The doctor responded.

After the doctor returned to the back, Renee informed Charlotte she was going to call her Aunt Rose and Grandpa Charlie. Charlotte sat in the chair, staring down at her feet. It was going to be a long night—her thoughts were crowded with images of her mother. She didn't know how much time had passed, but the clock ticking on the wall seemed to blare in her ear as if it was reminding her of something important.

Her grandma returned, phone in hand, "Okay, Charlotte. We're gonna take you home, so you don't have to spend the night in a chair. Aunt Rosalie is meeting us at home so you can stay in your bed tonight, okay? Grandpa will be here tomorrow morning, too."

"Is Aunt Rosalie bringing Jake? I don't want to spend the night with him, he's gross!"

"No, Jake is going to stay with Uncle Emmett at their house. They will come tomorrow. Just you and Auntie tonight. Let's get going, she is going to be meeting us. Maybe she will make some cookies for you so we can give them to Mommy when she's better."

Charlotte panicked at the thought of leaving the hospital without seeing her mother. She began to protest, but was cut short by a thought.

...Peter.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! It has been a crazy summer so far. I just moved again and just finished a contract job, but I did take my first full time big girl job! So I am excited to have some routine! Reviews will get a sneak peak of chapter 7! (I pinky promise it wont take 2 months, lol).**

 **I am looking for a pre-reader for this story!**

 **I also registered for my first TFMU!**

 **-mariescullen**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Special thanks to LizziePaige for pre-reading and Fran Walsh for being a wonderful beta.**

 **Time for some answers...**

 **This chapter contains mentions of neglect and sensitive situations.**

Chapter 7

Hell hath no fury like Charlotte's feet as she squirmed out of her seatbelt and ran towards the front door. Luckily, her aunt's, shiny red car, nowhere in sight. This was partially in-thanks to Charlotte's whining that she needed to use the bathroom the entire duration of the car ride home from the hospital.

Her grandma definitely believed her performance that she was in a hurry—but it wasn't for the bathroom. Renee tossed the keys to the front door to the banshee-like child while she got herself out of the car.

Getting inside the house, Charlotte tossed the keys on the ground by her shoes and shot up the stairs towards her bedroom. He would be in there, right? Where else would Peter go? She ripped open the door, not worrying about frightening him. She expected to hear a thump as he hit the floor after falling off the bed in surprise at her sudden entry, but it was silent as she took in her bedroom. The bed was neatly made, definitely not her doing, and it looked as if it has been this way for a while. She looked around on the side of the bed too see a pile of neatly folded clothes. Charlotte noticed the tears in the arms of the t-shirt and recognized them as the clothes Peter had been wearing when she had first found him in the backyard. He was going to get rid of them and wear some of her cousin Jake's clothes instead. Dropping to her hands and knees, she lifted the bed skirt to look under the bed.

Nothing.

She heard the front door open downstairs and quickly decided to shove the discarded clothes underneath the bed.

"Peter, where are you? This isn't funny!" She whisper-yelled to her bedroom. Hurriedly, she got up and ran towards the closet.

"Peter?"

Slowly, she opened the door to the closet.

Nothing.

The floor was bare, the blue blanket and lion missing from its spot this morning.

Shivers of fear ran up Charlotte's back as she thought of the last known place Peter was if not in her room.

Charlotte could hear her grandmother coming up the stairs. Quickly, she darted across the hallway to her mother's bedroom. She silently hoped Peter was somehow still in the shower—even though it had been hours.

She ignored her grandmother's calls of confusion as she sped by her. She tore open the bedroom door, noticing her mother's bed, definitely not her doing, was made and neat. Charlotte didn't focus on this long as she moved towards the attached bathroom. Suddenly, she stopped. If he was in there, she didn't want to interrupt his 'me time.' She knows her mother always got mad if she interrupted her, 'me time.'

"Peter, are you in there?" Charlotte whispered.

"Charlotte, who is Peter?" her grandmother asked, coming up to her from behind. Her sudden appearance caused Charlotte to shriek loudly. Renee's eyes widened and darted towards the bathroom door in curiosity after granddaughter's odd choice of words.

"Whoa, what has you so worked up? Your mom is going to be alright. Did you go to the bathroom?" Renee said, shocked by the shriek.

Panic arose in Charlotte's mind.

"Uh, no. I wanted to use this bathroom."

"So, why don't you go in? Who is Peter you were asking about earlier?"

Charlotte looked like a deer caught in headlights, "he's um...a…" she trailed off as her grandmother snapped her fingers.

"Oh, right! Your new imaginary 'friend.' Your mom let that one slip about him earlier, kiddo." Renee said, looking somewhat relieved, "oh you're worried he's in there, and you don't want to be rude?" She laughed as she played along with her granddaughter's game.

"Uh...yes, I don't want to be rude," Charlotte said, deciding this was her out and turning to look at her grandmother.

Renee raised a fist to the door, still laughing, and knocked gently, "Well, Peter if you're in there, put your uh…little _peter_ …away and move along, because Charlotte here needs to go potty."

Her grandmother opened the door, and Charlotte clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to watch the scene in front of her play out in case Peter was in there. Or, if he had left a mess of some kind. She couldn't decide which one would be worse.

The door flung open—the white pristine counters and tile reflecting as if they had just been scrubbed clean. The room was in better condition than her mother had left it. She feared mud from Peter's hair might stain the shower, or he would trail water on the floor behind him, but there was no evidence that the boy had been in the room. Had he decided not to take a shower and get cleaned up after all?

The sound of the front door opening signaled the arrival of her Aunt Rosalie. Her grandmother turned to head down the stairs to greet her elder daughter, leaving Charlotte about to do her business and deal with her 'imaginary friend.'

Charlotte furrowed her brow before continuing inside.

* * *

Rosalie McCarty danced around the kitchen, whisking together ingredients in a bowl as her niece watched her from the table. She was doing her best to distract her from reality. She did want to see her sister, but knew she was no good in a hospital waiting room—she'd be just as bad as Charlotte. Rosalie cared strongly for her little sister, despite them being polar opposites. While Bella was petite and brunette, Rosalie was tall and blonde.

Bella was strong in everything she did—this wouldn't be any different. She bit her lip and stared down at the chunky chocolate batter vibrant against the light green bowl. She was deep in thought—her whisks slowed to a steady turn instead of the fast pace she began with.

Rosalie's mind continued to travel to her sister and her young daughter. They're going to have to come together again and work through this one. Hopefully, her injuries aren't bad enough that she can't do things for herself—Bella would hate that. Her bright blue eyes flashed to the small girl at the table, looking like a miniature replica of her sister. For that, she (and everyone) in their family were thankful. No need to complicate things anymore with Charlotte's father. How much easier this situation would be. Staring at the little girl brought glints of anger to her heart. Not towards the girl, but for her. For her sister. She hoped wherever he was, he would rot in hell.

As she finished her whisking, she dumped the contents of the bowl into the glass cooking tray on the counter. As if on cue, she lowered the spatula to her side. Charlotte was waiting on que with her eyes wide open and arm outstretched.

Rosalie laughed as her niece grabbed the spatula and begin licking. After putting the brownies in the oven, she grabbed the chocolate-covered whisk and leaned back against the counter.

"Excited for next weekend, Charlotte?" Rosalie smiled as she thought about the events of next week. She hoped this didn't deter the excitement.

"Are we still going to have my birthday party?" Charlotte asked, looking up from her treat. Her brown eyes showed a mixture of curiosity, sadness, and if Rosalie was correct, a hint of excitement.

"Of course! We can't have your mom ruining all the fun, now can we?"

Charlotte frowned at her aunt's attempt at a joke.

"She'll be home in a few days, tops. I know she would want nothing more than for you to have your celebration. A princess only turns seven once, Char."

Charlotte smiled and licked her utensil clean.

"Okay, so as a princess, I can make it a rule that Jake can't bring his gross friends."

After brownies and a movie, Rosalie excused herself to take a shower. She left Charlotte with the remote, bidding her not to cause too much ruckus in the next twenty minutes.

As soon as Charlotte could hear the water turn on from the bathroom upstairs, she was at the back door. Her sandals were barely buckled as she ripped it open to check the only other place her friend might be.

"Peter!" Charlotte called, running towards the small house. Her emotions were scattered—frightened that her friend was missing in the midst of all her other problems. Her breath was heavy and uneasy as she yelled out his name again, reaching the door.

The door swung open, revealing a saucer-eyed Peter, confused at the girl barreling towards him. Charlotte stopped dead in her tracks, the sudden halt and her haphazardly buckled sandals sent her falling forward.

The boy rushed to grab her before she hit the ground. Charlotte noticed his hands, once rough and caked with grime and dirt, were soft and clean. His fingernails were clear of the dark sludge. Her eyes widened as she looked up, noticing this new appearance had transformed his whole body. His face was fresh, clean, and bright. His blonde hair was a shiny mass of waves, falling wildly into his eyes. Beneath the hair, his green eyes shone brightly. If she weren't so angry, she would have laughed at the way he looked in Jake's ugly T-shirt and swim shorts.

Peter didn't get to put her all the way upright before Charlotte tore into him.

"Where did you go? I thought you left! How could you leave!" The small girl yelled, staring at him with a severity so willing, he staggered back.

His eyes widened and he gulped before responding.

"Um…I…didn't."

"You left!"

"I-I-I got scared, okay? I didn't like being in…there with nobody else." Peter said, stuttering to get his words out. He didn't meet his new friend's eyes.

"Scared of what?" Charlotte asked, her face losing the ferocity.

"Your…house. It's really big." Peter was breathing slowly, attempting to get words out without stumbling.

"That's it?"

"You…said you were coming back after a little bit. After a few hours passed, I thought you weren't going to."

"Why wouldn't I come back? I live here, don't I?" Charlotte's annoyance was back.

"Yeah…I just…thought...," he trailed off.

Memories flashed into his head, displaying behind his eyes as if it was a cinema.

 _Picking the lock and getting out of the closet._

 _Nobody in sight._

 _Dirty needles around a cluttered, dark living room._

 _A small television playing in the background as a younger Peter makes his way to the kitchen in hopes of finding something other than the canned food his mother tossed in the closet with him. Along the way, he picks up articles of clothing and discarded items on the floor to throw into the basement, so he remembers to wash them._

"My mommy got hurt. The doctor said she got into a car crash. That's why I didn't come back." Charlotte's sigh and confession pulled him from his daze. His eyes widen, and before he could help it, a new memory started forming in his head.

"Is she okay? I mean…she's not…"

 _Peter approached his parents' bedroom, finding it sparse in terms of furniture besides a brown futon in the corner. This wasn't anything new—his parents never spent much time furnishing their home. What was new was the person on the futon. Her red hair spilled over the side and onto the floor. Peter had never seen this woman—but her arms were still at her side. Her chest did not move up and down to signal she was sleeping._

"She's not what?"

Peter held his breath as he remembered the coldness as he reached out to touch her arm. He shook off the memory, attempting to control his breathing.

"Uh…forget it. So, she's at the hospital?"

"Yeah, the doctor has to fix her arm. My grandma made me come back here while they wait."

Peter sighed and wrapped his arms around his friend.

"I'm sure she will be okay. She helps people, right? Now it's their turn to help her."

"I guess so," Charlotte said, leaning into his arms. He smelled like her mother.

"Please don't scare me like that again. Peter..." Charlotte added, looking up into his eyes, squinting as she didn't know the rest of his name. And in an effort to make him heed her warning, she needed to be firm. She learned this from her mother using her full name whenever she was really in trouble.

Peter laughed at her attempt to scold him.

"Peter Cullen."

 **A/N: Thanks! Reviews get a teaser of Ch 8!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi! Releasing this one a little early. Biggg shoutout to for being my medical fact-checker, LizziePaige for pre-reading, and Fran Walsh for being a fantastic beta as usual.**

Chapter 8

It was bright and early the next day when Edward strode through the hospital doors. He clutched his gym bag over his shoulder and stared at his phone as he walked. He was in a better mood; despite worrying about Bella and her surgery, he'd managed to relax and get some sleep. Tanya's updates had kept him pacified to last him until his shift started the next morning.

As expected, it seemed everything went smoothly with the surgery. It had ended somewhere in the middle of the night and recovery was going well. Tanya couldn't go into detail, but Edward thought he might take up Bella's mother's offer to visit. There were no other commotions in the emergency department that night to catch everyone's attention, and he silently hoped there wouldn't be too much to pull his attention this morning.

Angela sat at her desk, glancing up and waving at the doctor. Edward smiled lightly, waving his own hand back in her direction before heading towards the doors to the emergency department.

"Bella, what happened? They said you hit the guard rail?"

Bella turned her head to look out the window and stared, thinking back to the accident just hours ago that put her in the hospital, to begin with. Her annoyance grew as she moved her gaze down, thinking back to the sickening sound her arm made as it was snapped between the seat and the console. But then, a small smile graced her lips at the deep purple color of her cast, courtesy of Charlotte.

"Yeah, I guess I was trying to reach for something that fell, and someone hit me from behind. The roads were wet, so it felt like my car slid into the rail. How's the damage on that?"

"They towed your car to Emmett's buddy's shop. They'll get it fixed up. Not a total loss. They got your phone and some stuff out of the car, it's in my backseat…I think they said they were going to call to leave you a message—"

Bella cut her off her rambling and suddenly let out a sigh, "did you hear that?"

Renee looked down at her daughter, knitting her eyebrows together. The seconds of silence drew on, and she wondered if she should hit the call button even though the doctors said her head was fine.

"It's the sound of my bank account crying." Bella deadpanned and laid back on the pillow, careful to watch her shoulder. Her body was still sore, and she was moody. She wanted to know how long it was going to take before she could go home; as if she didn't spend enough time in this hospital. Her mind didn't even start to think about her daughter, but she hoped she wasn't too terrified.

Renee scoffed and moved back towards her seat on the far side of the room. As she sat, she knelt down to dig through her purse for her phone. She dialed quickly, bringing the phone to her ear.

Bella tried to listen in to the one-sided conversation, eager to know who her mother was chatting with. From the grim look on her face and the usual perk missing from her voice, it had to be Bella's father, Charlie. Her suspicions were confirmed not even five minutes later when light knocking was followed by the door slowly opening.

Charlie smiled eagerly at his daughter, glad to see she was awake. Bella, on the other hand, was shocked her father didn't come in dressed in his entire, Chief of Police uniform, ready to lay down the law of the land. He had done this once or twice during her high school days when she had been involved in minor fender benders or getting a speeding ticket. It had been a while since she saw Charlie last, as he lived a few hours away, and she didn't know exactly what to say to him.

Seeing her dad was always awkward and hard, especially with Charlotte. Bella's relationship with her father had not always been the best, and with Charlotte getting older and her father also being out of the picture, it made fodder for conversations with her daughter that she wanted to avoid. He was a good grandfather to her though, and that was all she could ask.

A lump rose in her throat with the thoughts that entered her mind. She swallowed them back, deciding she could reflect on the past later.

"Hey Dad," she smiled, using her good hand to scooch back in the bed and sit up higher. His smile didn't fluster when taking in her appearance, so this must not have been the first time he'd seen her. She had been asleep till only about an hour ago after the surgery they performed on her the previous night.

"Hey Bells, how are ya' feeling? Took quite a spill, kid."

"Yeah, those roads get really bad when it's raining."

They exchanged a few words—plans for the rest of the summer, asking how Charlie's wife, Sue was, all the normal catching up. Bella told Charlie he shouldn't have taken off work but disgruntled by the fact that his daughter thought these actions of him, he insisted relentlessly.

Their conversation was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door before a blonde-haired woman peeked in. Bella's sister stared at her, taking in the marks on her face and the bandages on her arm. After an entire once-over, ensuring her that she was no longer in life-threatening danger, Rosalie frowned before looking Bella in the eye.

"Well, we always knew I was the better driver." Rosalie laughed and opened the door all the way, revealing a wide-eyed Charlotte. It was evident she was frightened to enter the room, nervous to see her mother. She had never experienced anything like this before.

The previous night was long for Charlotte. Despite her aunt trying to make the best of the situation, something was lingering in the back of her mind. Connections from the long night that didn't seem so clear, but she was unable to focus on them right now because of the state of her mother. Rosalie assured her multiple times that the surgery went well and that the only thing that would help the small child was to sleep.

Before making a quick departure from the backyard, Charlotte warned Peter he might have to take refuge in the playhouse for the time being. She wasn't sure how they had managed to keep Peter hidden this long. Usually, it was only a few rounds before her mother found her signature hiding place in a game of hide and seek, so it must have been a miracle for her to pull this off. In the wake of recent events, the Swan home was bound to be crawling with family for the next few days. Charlotte could handle her mom and any babysitters that came about, but her Grandpa Charlie was a cop. He once said he could smell trouble. Charlotte was convinced his mustache gave him magic detective abilities or something.

Charlotte went to sleep that night worried—for her mother, and for her friend. The heaviness of the world weighed her down as she lay staring at the ceiling. It was getting hard to hide Peter from her mother. Hiding him was almost as bad as the guilt she was beginning to feel. She liked Peter, and she knew her mother would too. Wouldn't it be a better situation all around if her mother just knew? But what if her mother wasn't on her side and sent him back to the place he was so afraid of?

As she drifted off, she decided that for now, it was best for everyone to keep him a secret for a bit longer. She couldn't risk him getting sent back to the place of nightmares.

The next morning, she woke up with a late start. The weight had hardly shifted, but Charlotte barely noticed as she bolted out of bed to get dressed. Charlotte stood on her tippy toes to get to her drawers and pulled out whatever she could find that matched. Deciding on a pair of black pants and a small pink shirt, she made her best effort to get her hair into a ponytail.

In record time, she was down the stairs, half expecting her aunt to be sitting at the table, coffee in a to-go cup, waiting for her. Her aunt was…nowhere in sight. The clock on the stove read 8:00 in the morning. Knowing It might be a while before she was actually ready to leave, Charlotte rushed towards the fridge, intent on making food before Rosalie realized she was up and about. In about ten minutes, she had successfully thrown together three sandwiches. As if on cue, she heard movement from the guest room.

Charlotte ran barefoot, to the playhouse. Not knowing how long it was before she would be able to get food, she knocked on the door carefully, but furiously. She didn't want to scare him like she had the previous morning.

Peter's hair stuck up in all directions when the window shutters opened, and he popped his head through, dazed at the small girl's actions.

"Charlotte? What time is it? Are you okay?" He questioned, taking in her messy hair. He didn't notice the sandwiches wrapped in paper towels until she raised them to his face.

"It's really early. I don't know how long I will be gone today. I won't turn the lock on the back door in case you have to sneak into the house. There were no leftovers to give you because we didn't cook anything besides the brownies." Charlotte said in a rush.

Peter stared at her, confused at her actions, before diligently reaching out his hands. It was getting hard not to trust that Charlotte would take care of him. She may be a small child, just over half his age, but she was a force to be reckoned with.

She forked over the food quickly before returning to the house, determined to beat her aunt to the kitchen.

It didn't take Rosalie long to get ready, fix Charlotte's hair, and ride to the hospital. After confirming with her mother that her sister was up and making sarcastic retorts, as usual, they felt it was a good time to bring Charlotte in to see her mother. It was also decided that Emmett and Jake would wait before coming as they didn't want to overwhelm her.

Angela was seated at the receptionist desk, dressed in different clothes from yesterday evening. Her face looked different too, not as grim as it was when they first saw her last night.

She smiled glancing happily down at Charlotte.

"Going to see your mom?" Angela asked, reaching into a drawer to grab a piece of candy for the small girl. She reached over her desk to hand to Rosalie.

"Yeah, the doctors made her better!" Charlotte answered excitedly.

"I heard that! I had Dr. Cullen give me an update as soon as he came to work this morning." Angela replied, leaning back into her seat. The woman turned to Rosalie, "just go ahead through these doors when I buzz. She's on the second floor, room 2304. Her parents are already up there."

Something about this statement struck Charlotte—as if realization was on the tip of her tongue. There was something familiar about the name of the handsome doctor who helped them the night before. Charlotte stuck the candy in her mouth as she pondered. She hoped they would get to see him again.

As they made their way through the doors and towards the elevator, it seems the stars had aligned. It was a small hospital after all, so this upped their chances quite a bit.

Dr. Cullen was standing on the other side of the hallway, his attention focused on a chart in front of him. Charlotte watched as he quickly reached up to pull a pen from behind his ear to make a note on the clipboard.

Before Rosalie could stop her, Charlotte took off to greet him. The small girl bolted across the hallway, catching the doctor's attention when she said his name. He swiftly looked up, eyes not catching anything, before looking down.

When Edward realized who was at his legs, he focused his attention there, leaving the chart and pen abandoned on the counter. He crouched down to look at her face.

"Hey, Edward!" She greeted.

"Hi Charlotte, did you go home and get some sleep last night?" Edward smiled and asked. He gave the child a once over, noting her bright face and altered attire.

Charlotte liked Edward. He was kind to her and very nice to look at. He reminded her of theprince in a story she read ... and everyone wants to be friends with the prince.

"Yeah, I did. My Aunt Rosalie came to stay with me. We made some brownies for Mom, but we ate most of them."

Edward laughed before rising to his feet, "that's great. Are you going to see your Mom now? Where's your aunt?" He swiftly looked around before catching the expression of the blonde woman on the other side of the hallway, apparently still dazed at the actions of her niece.

Edward grabbed his things from the counter, shoved them under his arm, and offered his other hand to Charlotte.

She smiled and reached up to take it.

"Yeah, we're going upstairs. I had to tell _you_ that she was okay, though. It wouldn't be fair that you're her friend too and didn't know that the doctor's fixed her arm. Were you one of the doctor's that fixed her arm?"

They walked across the hallway to the waiting Rosalie.

"I did know she was okay, but that's very nice that you wanted to tell me, Charlotte. The doctors who fixed her arm are what we call arm specialists. I'm a different kind of doctor."

"Like a butt doctor? I saw that in one of my mom's TV shows."

Edward laughed aloud, harder than he should have in the hallway that was getting more crowded with nurses and visitors, "Not quite, but I like your creativity."

Once they reached Rosalie, Edward met her eyes, "Hi, I take it you've lost someone?"

Rosalie's eyes widened, "Oh, my God, I am so sorry. She just took off. I hope she wasn't bothering you…Dr. Cullen." She squinted at his badge as recognition dawned on her face.

"It's no problem at all. Moderately more entertaining than charting. I'm Edward Cullen, I'm a friend of Bella's."

"Yes, my mom told me about you helping them out last night. We're just heading up there so this one can stop pacing around like a caged lion. It was nice to meet you." Rosalie said, realizing Renee was not exaggerating when she mentioned Bella's 'friend' was handsome.

"Well, I have to get back to work, too, but it was nice meeting you," Edward said, bidding them farewell as he quickly hurried down the hallway and into a patient's room.

Rosalie grabbed Charlotte's hand as they got into the elevator, not wanting to lose her again.

 **A/N: Please consider donating to the 2nd annual Babies at the Border Compilation. I am planning to donate a piece into the compilation, as well as many other fantastic authors. There will be raffles and a great bunch of stories to take in after donating! Please see the Babies at the Border Facebook Group or the Babies at the Border blogspot website.**

 **Thanks for reading! See you next time!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Big thanks to Mykaela for being my medical person, LizziePaige for pre-reading, and Frannie Walsh for being a wonderful Beta as usual.**

Chapter 9

Charlotte was wide-eyed as she entered the room. She didn't know what to expect. Her aunt had warned her that her mother would look a little banged up but assured her the injuries weren't as bad as they may seem.

In the room, she saw Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renee in the far corner watching her with. Rosalie tugged on her hand to bring her further into the room. As she stepped closer, she finally saw the person she'd been anxiously waiting to see for the past twenty-four hours.

Charlotte couldn't help how overcome she became when she saw her mother's face. There were angry red lines with black thread stitching them together in the corner of her forehead and similar marks surrounding her eye. Her gaze didn't make it any further south than the deep purple cast on her mother's arm before Charlotte's eyes filled to the brim with tears. Nothing mattered more at that moment than the women in the bed as she raised her eyes and smiled warmly at the girl. Even the thoughts of Peter evaporated from her mind.

She bit her lip as she slowly approached the bed. She hardly noticed her aunt slip into the other corner of the room.

"Mommy?" Charlotte asked, "are…you okay?" The tears spilled over as she ended the last word. Her breath picked up, terrified at the scary marks that lined her mother's face and the way she seemed stuck to the white bed.

Bella's eye's widened, and she shot up from her position. She ached from the quick movement, but meticulously attempted to hide the pain on her face from her daughter. She reached her non-casted arm out around the open side of the bed, inviting Charlotte into her embrace.

The girl raced into her outstretched arm.

"Baby, yes, I'm all right," Bella said, tightening her hug around her daughter. Charlotte cried into the corner of the sweatshirt her mother was wearing. "Hey, now, Charlee, don't cry." Bella comforted her daughter, doting on the nickname she saved for emotionally heavy situations. Bella reached around to push loose strands of Charlotte's hair out of her reddening face.

"Please don't scare me again, Mommy," Charlotte sniffed, looking up into Bella's eyes. Bella's grip tightened, pulling her close.

* * *

The morning passed in a haze of conversation, Charlotte's inventive storytelling, and trying to find something on the small hospital television to pass the time. Charlotte curled into her mother, laying her head against her side as Bella's hand ran through the end of Charlotte's, now lopsided ponytail. Their silent reverie was interrupted by a slight growl erupting from the girl's belly.

Doubting that Charlotte would find the picked-at food on her mother's tray appetizing, Charlie volunteered to take his granddaughter down to the cafeteria. Renee, making the claim to need caffeine, was hot on their heels as they headed out of the room. As they were leaving, a familiar face was heading in the opposite direction towards Bella's room.

"Oh, Doctor Cullen, so nice to see you again. I wasn't sure you would be around with such a late shift last night. Bella's father and I are just taking Charlotte down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I'm sure she's been up since the crack of dawn waiting to visit her mother."

"Hi, everyone. I was actually just going to see if she was up for a visit."

"Yes, feel free to go in and keep Bella company if you have a minute. I am sure she would love that."

* * *

After her family left the room, Bella took a deep breath, taking the moment alone to digest the new adjustments to her life. She thought momentarily about adapting to working with her broken arm and grimaced at all the complications that would arise. She would have to see about taking a leave of absence to heal. On the bright side, her babysitter problem would be solved. Using Renee as a stand-in wasn't going to last long since she had to begin teaching summer school classes next week.

She knew she probably shouldn't be stressing herself out with thinking about these things, but when was she going to do it? She saw the terrified expression on Charlotte's face before she even set foot in the room, and she didn't even want to consider the idea of how Charlotte would feel if things remained so unsettled. Bella doubted Charlotte would let her mother out of her sight once her hospital stay was over.

Bella's internal musing was interrupted by a soft knock on the door. She was momentarily dazed by confusion. Had her mother left something behind, she would have just barged in. However, it was not her mother who opened the door.

It was Edward, and he was wearing a different shirt under his scrubs today. It was forest green, and she couldn't help but think back to the luminous coloring of his eyes and the contrast it had to his oddly shaded hair. Bella had hardly thought of the cute new doctor with everything that went on since she had seen him last. However, when his slightly smiling face appeared from behind the small opening in the door, she couldn't for the life of her understand how she could ever have forgotten.

"Couldn't wait for our coffee date to see me again, huh?" Edward gave her a small smile as he stepped into the room, shutting the door gently behind him. The smile didn't reach his eyes. Just like yesterday, he appeared guarded. If the marks on her face caused him any disdain, he hid it well. He bit his lip and quickly looked at the floor while Bella sat up straighter. Internally, Edward wanted to smack himself after a line as dumb as that. She was just in a car accident for Christ's sake. Real smooth.

"See you? Of course not, it was Dr. Gerandy who I was after." Bella deadpanned, thinking back to the old, grouchy E.R. doctor who aided her last night. Edward noted the lightening of her eyes as she smiled at him, accepting his sarcastic greeting. He laughed.

"You know, about a half-hour earlier and your life would have been in my capable hands. Gerandy just took me off shift right before you came in."

"Well, if I knew that much, then I would have told the other driver to step on it."

Edward's eyes widened at her response, causing Bella to let out a loud laugh. As she laughed, he calmed down, making a mental note of her crassness. He smiled gently and moved closer towards the end of her bed.

"On a real note, how do you feel?" The doctor in him wanted to look down at her chart, but he fought the urge, wanting to take her word for it.

"I'm all right. Down an arm and up about twenty-eight sutures, but I reckon those odds are pretty good considering how it could have been."

"What kind of accident was it—I didn't see anyone else brought in last night. I was around for about an hour or so after they brought you on the bus." Edward asked, curious.

"If you do see someone else, please let me know. Apparently, it was too much to ask of the other driver to stop after running me into the rail. It was a hit and run. There are a few traffic cams not far from there that might have something for me to identify, but it was dark. My dad, who is a police officer, told me not to get my hopes up." Bella answered, shrugging her shoulders and sounding angry and defeated. She looked down at the fresh markings on her cast.

A flash of anger rushed through Edward's veins and continued to burn when he found out nobody would be at fault for putting her in the hospital. He hadn't known Bella very long, but it hadn't felt that way. She was easy to talk to and caring, anyone who met her for even a minute would be able to see that. He could see her becoming more in his life, even after only a few conversations.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I don't know what to say. I wish there was something I could do."

She looked up and smiled back at him. The simple muscle movement caused his heart to race and his anxiety to calm.

"It's all right. Besides, now I get to hang out with my kid for the summer. She's really excited about that. I swear the amount of times she said we were going to watch Rapunzel was enough to make my ears ring."

Edward laughed, and his eyes traced the drawings on her cast. There were two stick figures and judging by the amount of hair on the top of their heads and their height differences, they were supposed to be renditions of Bella and Charlotte.

"I take it she got tired of talking about it and switched to illustration?"

"She did! She swiped a Sharpie from one of the nurses and got to work. Said the purple wasn't cool enough by itself." Bella laughed to herself, pushing down the thin blankets, "speaking of Charlotte. I heard you got an introduction to the entirety of the Swan Clan."

"Seriously, Swan, this relationship has been going on for almost twenty-four hours, and you've been unconscious for half of it." He hadn't actually thought of the repercussions of his actions when interacting with her family and sincerely hoped he didn't cross any lines. Since his usual way of dealing with these situations was talking himself into a hole, he decided to put his foot in his mouth anyway. Her facial expression didn't transform into one of disgust, so he figured he was off the hook.

"Not even one date and you're already meeting my parents. At this rate, I'll have your number by the time I walk down the aisle." Bella smirked, but her smile turned genuine, "it was very sweet what you did for them in the waiting room. I know word doesn't get back to families right away, especially when Gerandy is involved, and it really helped my mom."

He attempted to hide the blush he could feel creeping along his cheeks.

"Well, in any case, I'm glad to have helped alleviate some of their worries last night."

"And Charlotte wouldn't shut up about you, so thank you for that."

"I guess I'm one step ahead of someone."

"And who would that be?"

"Newton."

The conversation drifted on with its lighthearted banter. They talked about everything from the hospital gossip to television movie marathons the next week. He smiled and laughed, more so than the previous deep conversation they had, but it never fully reached his eyes. Edward Cullen was light, airy, and happy on the surface, but something was crushing him below. Bella had no knowledge of what it was—other than having something to do with the fact that he moved hours away from the medical industry that was Chicago to a hardly known, small town in the east. And as their conversation drifted more about family, it didn't go unnoticed that both of them held back. His green eyes became evidently pained and uncomfortable.

She couldn't help but wonder what haunted him. What kind of ghost would chase him all the way to the East coast?

A loud blare from the pager attached to Edward's hip rang out, cutting off the conversation. He sighed, picking up the small device. He frowned at the screen but made quick effort to shove the pager back into his pocket. Just as the noise rang out, the door opened, signaling the end of their alone time. Bella's parents, with Charlotte in tow, had returned from the cafeteria.

"Sorry—duty calls. I guess something exciting is coming in downstairs. But, hey, I know they switched your care over to Dr. Caius, so I'll try to get some information about you getting out of here." Edward winked and smiled at Bella, running a hand through his hair.

He nodded once at Bella's parents before hurrying out of the room. Charlotte laughed at his hasty escape.

"Grandma, you owe me five dollars," Charlotte said, returning to her mother's bedside, but keeping her eyes trained on her grandmother.

Bella knitted her brows together in confusion at her daughter's statement, "why?"

"We were betting on how long it will take you and Dr. Edward to go out on a date."

Bella's eyes widened at her daughter's confession. Even more so at her daughter's demand for her grandmother to pay up.

"No! No meddling, child. You can play matchmaker with your Barbie dolls." Bella playfully ruffled Charlotte's hair and pulled her to her side.

"Does that mean I get five dollars?" Renee peeped in from the opposite side of the room.

* * *

The afternoon flew by with an array of visitors, including Rosalie, with her husband Emmett, and son Jacob in tow. Shortly after bringing Charlotte to the hospital this morning, she had left to go to work, promising to return later. After a short visit, they left on a note of excitement when Bella gave approval for Jacob to bring a few of his friends to Charlotte's birthday cookout the following weekend. Apparently, it was "torture" to hang out at a seven-year-old's, princess-themed, birthday party without several of your closest, fellow, eleven-year-old compadres to endure the torture with.

Edward also returned briefly to give Bella an update about her being released from the hospital. He was able to push Dr. Caius into discharging her the following day as they wanted to keep her one more night for observation. Bella and Charlotte's mock celebration was cut short by the blare of Edward's pager again. He left with the promise of bringing ice cream back for both of them.

Later in the evening, Bella was tired of being the patient and wanted desperately to go home. Charlotte was getting bored; she could tell, despite her daughter's numerous attempts at playing a ninth round of Go Fish from the cards Bella kept in her work locker. The only thing keeping Charlotte sane was Edward's promise of ice cream.

"All right, but Mommy, when will he be back?" She would ask at every passing hour. Her mother would explain that Edward was a doctor, a special doctor who took care of the patients who needed him right away, so it wasn't always easy for him to slip away from the rush.

Bella had heard his name called numerous times over the loudspeaker in the hallways. She had yet to see him in action but couldn't help but wonder what he looked like saving someone's life. As Charlotte drifted off for a nap, Bella closed her eyes.

Her body began to get hot at the thought of watching the new doctor spring into action in the emergency room. Her body tingled thinking about beads of sweat running across his face, causing his dark hair to hang loosely on his forehead as he barked out orders. Or him taking an intake of breath as he charged the paddles during a code. She hadn't seen him in anything besides his scrubs yet, but her mind yearned to find out what he looked like under the long-sleeved undershirts she admired.

Realizing her parents were still in the room, and her daughter was huddled next to her, she forced the daydream out of her head and opened her eyes. She forced herself to pay some mind to the sporting event Charlie had put on the television before he bid everyone goodbye with a promise to see them next weekend at Charlotte's birthday party.

It wasn't much later when a familiar knock sounded throughout the room. Bella's eyes widened as she took in a freshly showered Edward, pieces of his hair sticking to his face. Gone were the scrubs and undershirt, replaced now by a pair of dark wash jeans and a gray, Northwestern sweatshirt. On his face sat a pair of brown-rimmed glasses. In his hands were four small cups of the delicious frozen treat he'd promised earlier.

"Wow, you didn't have to dress up for the occasion," Bella smirked, gently tapping Charlotte on the shoulder to wake her up from her nap.

The small girl was up and off the side of the bed, hugging Edward's leg before Bella could get the words 'ice cream' out of her mouth.

"I got you some vanilla, Charlotte. I hope that's okay." Edward smiled and crouched down to hand the little girl a spoon and plastic cup.

"That's my favorite flavor! I like anything, just no..." Charlotte replied, cutting her sentence off with a spoonful of ice cream to her mouth.

"Just no nuts, right? Your mom mentioned that. I'm allergic to nuts too, so we have something in common." Edward grinned eagerly at the small girl and moved to hand Bella the other two cups to pass to her mother. He took a seat in one of the wooden chairs near the edge of the bed as everyone dug into their sweets.

"So, Edward, you're from Chicago? How'd you end up over in our neck of the woods?" said Renee, looking at the logo on Edward's sweatshirt. Edward bit his lip at the sudden question but maintained a poker face.

"Uh, yeah. Evanston, actually. I went to medical school at UPenn and didn't hate the area, so when the opportunity came to come back east, I jumped on it.

"Does your family still live in Illinois? That must be hard to be so far away from them."

Despite maintaining a straight face, Bella noticed Edward visibly tense at the tail end of her mother's question. She felt bad about her mother making him uncomfortable, but she, just like the rest of the hospital, was very curious about his history. Was a troublesome family enough to make him tense up the way he did? Was he involved in something dangerous in Chicago that he had to run from? The questions shot through Bella's head like a bullet and she worried. She couldn't risk falling for someone who had secrets if it was a potential danger to Charlotte. She would have to get to the bottom of this before she was in too deep.

"Yeah, they're still there." He punctuated the sentence with a scoop of vanilla.

Such a normal response rendered his eyes to darken behind the brown frames as he looked down.

A loud noise echoed from the hallway causing everyone in the room to jump. A panic-stricken nurse quickly knocked and poked her head into the room, gauging Edward's attention.

"I'm sorry Dr. Cullen, can you step in? There's a code blue in 2404 and Gerandy is busy."

Edward was on his feet and grabbing his bag off the floor before she finished her sentence. The pair raced out of the room and down the hallway. Charlotte watched curiously until their footsteps were just mere echo. Her eyes narrowed as a flash of something came into her mind. Something that had been lingering there since the evening before.

What was it?

She tried to concentrate—her mind no longer fogged with worry over her mother as it had been.

Every time she heard it, she was distracted, but this time, she wasn't.

Dr. Cullen? Peter…Cullen?

 **A/N: I think I am actually going to start posting teasers on social media, in FB groups for everyone. I might leave them on as a comment to the most recent update. If you don't see it, feel free to connect with me on there and send a message! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Thanks for you reviews! I love reading them :) I did not post a teaser this week. This one is a bit shorter than others. Thanks to Fran for being my Beta!**

Chapter 10

The colorful letters of the search engine taunted Bella from the dimly lit computer screen. Was she really going to do this? The curiosity had been eating her alive, and like anyone in the year 2019, she could easily give in to the desire to obtain more information. How she wished she could have a glass of wine, but it was too soon, post-operation to be ingesting the amount of wine she would be consuming for the act she was about to perform.

She hadn't cyberstalked a boy since college. And here she was, twenty-seven years old, about to dig into whatever results the world's largest search engine could provide her. Part of her was scared—what if whatever it was he was hiding was bad? Or what if their definitions of bad were different? Did he have a kid? A wife? _A wife and a kid?_ The first wasn't a problem and shouldn't be a problem, especially now that he met Charlotte.

Maybe it was the pain medicine that led her here.

Sitting in her bed, pillows propped all around her, as her daughter slept on the other side of comforter. She was right on her assumption that it would be quite some time before Charlotte let her mother out of her sight.

The transition home from the hospital wasn't a difficult one. Edward was right about being able to be discharged the following day after they ensured she was all right to be at home 'alone.' Of course, being alone wasn't something she had to worry about –between Charlotte's new permanent post by her side, her mother and sister when they could, and even Edward, who insisted on checking that she was fine. He hadn't actually set foot into their home yet, but if the hospital hadn't held him hostage for another few, twelve-hour shifts, he would have been. They made up for his missing presence by texting on his breaks and off time. It had only been two days since she left the hospital and already, she was anxious to see him, but happy to be outside of the bleak hospital walls.

It would be some time before Bella would again see the inside of the local hospital. She was able to take a medical leave for up to three months depending on how she healed. The doctor warned her it would be between six and eight weeks for healing and then physical therapy. Though this wasn't the ideal way to get an extended vacation, there are worse ways to spend the summer with her daughter. She didn't have to worry about babysitters, and by the time she would start working again, Charlotte would be in school. Third grade—albeit, she unsurprisingly, skipped a grade. She was afraid Charlotte might have a harder time with kids older than her, but the cool breeze from the June evening swaying in from her open window reminded her she had plenty of time to figure things out.

Renee's arguments were futile for wanting to stay in her daughter's spare bedroom while she healed. Though she appreciated the kind gesture, she wasn't going to have her mother and Charlotte attached to her side, especially if she was trying to get to know Edward on a more personal level. And you can bet she used that argument against trying to rationalize with her mother. Along with the fact that this is not the first time in her life she had to adapt to having some kind of injury. Renee's argument wasn't strong enough to withstands Bella's sharp points. She gave up with a consolation prize of checking on her daughter whenever she found the time in between her work schedule.

Bella focused back on the computer screen, unsure of where to even begin. When she was in college and trying to find out information on boys, she would Google them and things she knew who they were associated with.

She would start simple.

 _Edward Cullen._

The results were extremely cluttered, spanning pages and pages of information. She should have realized this might not have been the best approach. Bella would have to get more specific. She racked her brain for more information that could deviate _her_ Edward Cullen from the rest.

 _Edward Cullen, Northwestern_

There were links leading to academic profiles for a Northwestern athletics page. He _did_ go to Northwestern, majored in Chemistry, played baseball. He published a few papers in his undergraduate career. While this information was helpful in backing up the fact that he was smart, it wasn't quite what she was searching for.

 _Edward Cullen, Evanston, IL_

In the search results, Bella dug through information mostly regarding Edward's high school years, learning he'd gone to a private school, played baseball, and graduated a year early. More data that she enjoyed knowing but did not serve much in finding out what the man was hiding.

As she was just about to turn in for the evening, slam her laptop shut, and get lost in whatever was playing on Netflix, she found it.

The gold mine of information.

A Facebook page.

Clicking on the link, she was directed to a page that didn't look like it was always active. The profile picture did confirm it was him. It was of Edward, smiling in a ski area surrounded by mountains, goggles pushed to the top of his head. He looked younger in the photo than he did in person, confirming the fact that he must not have actively used his Facebook since the social media app's golden years. Before heading to the timeline area of the webpage, she allowed herself a perusal through his profile photos. Much her to dismay, there was no gallery of model photos she'd been secretly hoping for, thanks to a pain medicine induced head fog, but just casual photographs. Photos from his medical school graduation, Northwestern graduation, hiking, and having a drink with friends. She didn't know what she expected to find; his social media proved what she had hoped for—he was terribly average. It didn't seem like he had any skeletons in the closet. Perhaps he just wasn't a social person with strangers, explaining his discomfort this morning when asked about his family and his life.

Bella was content with her answers until she reached the timeline section of the page. The cover photo didn't catch her attention at first, but at second glance, it did. It was a photo of Edward, wearing the same ski goggles on his head as his profile photo. It wasn't Edward that caught her attention though, it was who was posing in the photo with him. A small boy, who appeared to be slightly older than Charlotte with unkempt blonde hair. They looked similar in facial structure, sharing the same cheekbones, smile, and if she guessed right, there would be bright green eyes behind the child's ski goggles.

Could this be it?

Could this be his secret?

He had a son?

Bella couldn't understand why he would keep it a secret. Did he leave his child in Illinois when he left? Was there a crazy mother involved? There were so many questions swirling in her mind. She stopped looking at the cover photo and began to scroll.

Edward's profile was fairly tidy; nothing ever posted by him, but only tagged pictures and posts. A particular one, which looked aged by a few years by the way his face looked, caught her eye. Bella's eyes widened as she hit the jackpot.

Family photos.

Edward was easily recognizable, but the group of individuals surrounding him had to be his family based on the similarities each of them had to the two older adults standing behind everyone. The older adults were a tall, handsome, blonde-haired man, and a shorter, beautiful, auburn-haired woman. Based on the matching green eyes, Bella determined the middle three—Edward, a tall blonde male with shaggy blonde hair, and a small, thin, dark-haired girl had to be siblings.

On each flank of the children, aside from Edward, were who Bella assumed to be their significant others. A long blonde-haired female with heavy makeup stood next to the shaggy-haired male, and a more reserved looking, dark blonde man stood next to the dark-haired woman. In front of the blonde couple, sat a small boy in the grass, who looked no older than five or six. The shade of his hair and his face told Bella this was the boy in the other photo she saw on the cover of Edward's profile. She scrolled through more photos, stopping on one of the blonde couple, posing together with cold looks in their eye with the small boy. Perhaps this child wasn't a son to Edward, but a nephew? She smiled when she clicked to a photo of him and the young boy, kneeling side by side, smiling widely. _Definitely nephew,_ she decided. No child of his wouldn't have inherited his wild auburn locks.

The caption on the photo read "Garrett's 27th birthday."

Again, Bella was confused. Why feel discomfort when he had a beautiful family? This seemed to be years ago, but a happy family, nonetheless.

It was only a few more seconds of scrolling that Bella had her answer.

The next several posts on Edward's Facebook page were ads about a missing eleven-year-old boy. Long, detailed texts that tagged dozens of people, photo collages of the small blonde-haired child, last seen photos, and shared posts about missing someone. He was tagged in each one regarding a young boy named Peter Cullen.

This is it.

Was there some kind of accident or abduction? Bella felt drawn into the story, yearning to read every post regarding an event that appeared to have occurred over three months ago. As she started to scroll more, there was a tug in her heart. Her mind started to get fuzzy from the newly learned information. Then, the guilt began to rise.

Edward was hiding this for a reason. And as much as she wanted to know, Bella had already crossed so many lines searching the internet for any trace of the beautiful doctor with the sad eyes. She felt terrible and bit her lip while deciding what to do next.

A quiet buzz from her cell phone on the bed next to her momentarily distracted her from her search.

 _"Goodnight, beautiful."_

Her heart hurt at his typed words, and she quickly made up her mind. She would forget about the information she found during her 'research.'

The Edward she was starting to know was kind and sweet. She decided she was going to have to trust him until he felt comfortable enough to share his secret about the child with the dirty blonde hair.

 **A/N: So now everyone's got a secret to keep, but how long can Bella hide this new information? Is it going to cause rifts in her developing relationship? Charlotte's birthday party next...we can see well our little sneaks last in a house full of family and an uncle ;) I am aiming to have 11 up by this time next week before I go on vacation! :)**

 **Happy reading!**

 **mariescullen**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks for Fran for being a great beta and to LizziePaige for pre-reading! I ended up cutting this one in half so I could send it out-more in the bottom AN.**

Chapter 11

The information swam around in her mind—she had to fight herself from typing the missing child's name into the search engine to find more information.

How did it end?

Was Edward in any way involved with the child's disappearance? Did his nephew, Peter, deemed by the posts, disappear on his watch, perhaps? She had no information, and it was killing her to not give in to temptation. The mother in her trembled about this revelation on another level, not for the consideration of Edward, but that of the child.

Did Edward move to get away from everything? She promised she wouldn't dig for information, but never that she would make speculations. As she waited for the pain medicine to kick in that night, she let the thoughts swarm around her head like a riled wasp nest. It was cluttered, and thoughts came from all directions.

As she laid her head against the stack of pillows, she floated back to only days ago when she'd come home from work finding no Charlotte waiting in the foyer and seeing no babysitter. Bella remembered how she had panicked when her daughter wasn't there to greet her. She winced as she thought about how Jessica tried to justify her actions.

The fear that had risen in Bella's spine that night crept back up as she thought of Peter Cullen. She wasn't sure of the circumstances surrounding his disappearance but came to the inevitable conclusion that anything resulting in your child going missing, to the point of sharing social media posts, was a terrible fate. Bella tried to not let her mind race in directions of 'what ifs,' as she remembered sprinting to the backyard, her heart nearly stopping in her chest when her daughter was found in the playhouse, safe and content. She didn't realize small tears had formed and were running down her face until she stared down at the spots on the front of her sweatshirt. Bella shook her head, raising her good arm to wipe away the tears.

On a normal day, she didn't let the inner wave of emotions crash over her—she'd gotten used to suppressing them a bit after certain events that happened to her earlier in life. She didn't let her mind drift there very often but decided not to shame herself for her pondering at this moment. It had been a heavy past few days, and she deserved a good cry.

Looking down at her casted arm and the small illustrations her daughter had doodled confirmed these thoughts. With her good arm, she reached out to the small girl nestled only inches away from her on the bed. Not caring if she woke her, Bella pulled her close. Charlotte stirred, groggily adjusting to the new position before quickly falling back to sleep. Bella buried her nose in her hair. She tried to shake the memories from the previous night, soothing her inner thoughts with the shallow breaths of her child sleeping beside her.

Back to where she began, her mind drifted to the man who somehow was working his way into her life. She was almost certain the revelation she uncovered is what drove him, but the motivation was unclear. She yearned to see his eyes light up, not weighed down by the chains on his shoulders.

Briefly, feeling the heaviness take over, Bella wondered if Peter's parents got the same satisfaction she did. Was he safe in their arms, or did his mother mourn for him every night? Maybe the Cullens weren't as lucky. She didn't know this family or this boy; however, as she fell into the blackness of the night, she silently prayed that wherever he was, he was safe.

After working herself up for a long night of deep sleep, she woke up to the sound of knocking on the door downstairs. Who would be here this early in the morning? Bella mentally questioned as she opened her eyes.

She was dazed by the amount of sunlight peering through the windows. After the momentary confusion, she swiftly looked down at her phone. The time caused her eyes to bug out of her head. It was just after eleven in the morning. She sucked in a breath, turning her head to notice her six-year-old was no longer next to her in bed.

She worked her way out of bed, careful not to hit her arm, thankful for falling asleep in an old sorority sweatshirt and a pair of workout pants. She gingerly raised her arm to tighten the ponytail in her hair as best she could. After adjusting the sling around her waist, she started towards her open bedroom door, stopping for a brief second after hearing a noise.

Bella was not sure of what she heard as the knocking tapped again downstairs, but it sounded like Charlotte whispering something along the lines of "be quiet" before the soft click of her door behind her. Bella shook it off and continued to move from her room, bending down to pull fuzzy socks onto her feet.

"Mommy, there's someone at the door," Charlotte yelled from down the hallway.

"Run and get it, Char. I think it's someone from the Police Station." Bella said, "I'm right behind you, you're just faster."

Had the visitor been anyone in her family, they would have just come in. She then remembered the officer mentioning that someone would come to talk to her about the accident, and what she was going to be able to do if they were unable to locate the driver.

She saw the little girl, still dressed in her pajamas, eagerly running down the steps to get the door.

What she didn't expect was what Charlotte said after opening the door.

"Oh, hi, Edward!" Charlotte sang happily, eager to see the handsome doctor standing behind the door. She looked up at him with a smile.

Bella picked up her pace down the steps, quick to meet her visitor's green gaze.

"Uh, hi. What are you doing here?" Bella questioned, coming to stand behind Charlotte. She flushed red when his eyes faltered, "I mean, I'm glad to see you, of course, but this is a surprise."

"You didn't think you were getting out of our coffee date so easy, did you?" Edward said, looking down to meet her eyes with a small smile, "also, your mom sent me a text that you weren't answering your phone and asked me to come check on you."

Bella's eyes moved to look at the two coffees sitting in the to-go holder in his hands. In the third holder, there was a small pack of fruit snacks for Charlotte. Her brow furrowed with her confusion.

"How did she get your—"

"After they discharged you. She asked, and I didn't want to be rude and not give it to her. Now, I'm glad I did." He smirked at her.

"Renee would think if I took more than ten minutes to respond to her, I must have died or drowned doing the laundry." Bella laughed, opening the door wider, motioning for him to enter.

Edward quickly stepped inside the house, using his feet to slip off the dark Vans that covered his feet. He turned around, taking the door from her before shutting it.

"You can just set that on the coffee table right there," Bella pointed with her good hand. It had taken her a moment to catch up to reality after watching him from the back. She admired the view but was still very surprised to see him here.

She couldn't help but compare his current state with the photos she saw the night before. She watched him as he moved towards the coffee table, bending his tall frame over to set down the steaming drinks. He looked a little older than most of the photos, but things were similar enough that they couldn't have been taken too long ago. She was desperate to get into his head. She would have to be careful with her words—what if she slipped up when they talked about each other's lives? She couldn't exactly ask how his siblings were when he hadn't even told her they existed yet.

"Didn't think she'd like coffee, so I just got her some of those little berry fruit snacks."

"What?" Bella asked, looking back up to him. She hadn't realized he had been talking to her.

"Are you all right?" He asked, stepping closer towards her.

"Uh, yeah. That's great, she loves those." Bella said, giving him a small smile, trying to recover with what she caught at the tail end of his sentence. "What do you say, Charlotte?" She moved to look at the little girl who was standing on the other side of Edward.

Charlotte was already looking at Edward as he reached to hand her the fruit snacks, "Thank you."

As she ripped open the bag, she glanced at her mom.

"Can I go back upstairs now—I'm almost done coloring," Charlotte said, making a serious look.

"Charlotte, don't be rude," Bella said.

"I'm not being rude, Mommy, he came to give you a date. That's what grandma said." Charlotte squealed, heading towards the stairs, too quickly to meet her mother or Edward's widened eyes.

"Okay, then. Sorry, coloring is more important than you, I guess." Bella laughed, moving to take a seat on the couch, motioning for him to join her.

Edward chuckled alongside her.

"Don't worry, it's not the first time tha/nt's happened." Edward laughed.

She couldn't tell if he was being serious or just joking. At the moment, her curiosity won. Her mouth worked faster than her conscience.

"Which ... Children running from you, or needing them to be your wingman?"

"Both, but mostly the latter," Edward responded, chuckling with a glint in his eye that he remembered something. An inside joke of sorts.

"Clever. Do you have children?" She knew the answer but couldn't stop herself.

Edward didn't answer right away, and Bella studied his eyes, looking for something. She tried to not be obvious about what she was doing.

"Uh, no. I don't have any children…of my own."

She stopped herself from continuing down that trail of what she didn't know. She liked him and wanted to continue getting to know him. Internally, she slapped herself for asking such a question in the first place. But Bella had paid attention to the gap in his words. Could he mean his nephew? Were they close? Her brain was full of more questions that couldn't be asked.

She damned herself for even looking in the first place.

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay-** **things went a little haywire with my health in the past week and it really cut into my writing time before I left for a hiking trip where I didn't exactly have decent fic uploading wifi. Should be getting back on track soon. Also, be on the lookout for something spooky near the end of the month.**

 **Let me know what you think!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi! This is a big one! Many thank yous to LizziePaige and Gabby1017 for pre-reading. And a huge thanks and a million and one coffees to Fran for being the world's best beta (as usual).**

Chapter 12

"Peter, why did you run away from home?" Charlotte asked, innocence persistent in her eyes. Had she known that was the million-dollar question? She didn't hesitate like some would when handling such information. She was simply curious about the well-being of her friend. Peter didn't talk much about his home, but he often asked questions about Charlotte's life. It was only fair that he gave her answers if she did, right?

The events of the previous day had passed, and when she awoke that morning, her mother was contently sleeping beside her. Being at home reminded Charlotte of her other responsibilities, besides the newest one of taking care of her mother. She'd snuck out of her mother's bed early that morning to do her daily prowl of the kitchen, swiping or making Peter something simple to eat. He'd been in the closet, snuggled up with a blanket and pillow when she brought him his meal.

She thought back to earlier in the week when she darted up the stairs to return to her 'coloring,' leaving her mother alone on the couch with Edward. She wasn't sure what to do with the information racing around her head like a goose chase. Knowing Edward's last name sparked something in her that she knew she could not ignore. What were the chances, though? It did no good to hide this from Peter. So she ran up the steps, leaving one Cullen downstairs, while eager to get to the other.

As he sat up and enjoyed the food, not caring what it was, Charlotte stared at him. He glanced up and noticed her, shoving a small piece of lunch meat in his mouth.

"What?" Peter said.

"There's someone downstairs."

"Oh, I'll just go back towards the closet then—." He shuffled back, but Charlotte shook her head vigorously.

"No, Peter. I think it's someone you know. It's a doctor from the hospital. My mommy and him) are getting really close, friends, or something. He brought her coffee. Peter, his last name is Cullen!"

"Cullen?"

"That's your last name, right? You told me the other day…"

"Y…yeah, that's my last name." Peter gulped, instantly regretting telling Charlotte that information about himself.

"His first name is Edward. He's downstairs. Do you know him? He has dark reddish hair; he's really tall. Your eyes are both green, you know—" Peter rushed to put his hand over Charlotte's rambling mouth.

"Be quiet, Charlotte!" Peter hushed, looking towards the door. He wasn't usually this way with her, but, if she was right, and his uncle _was_ downstairs, he didn't want to face the consequences.

"Peter, he's not the one who hurt you, is he?" Charlotte asked, eyes darting to the door. She questioned who it was she just left her mother with downstairs.

"Who, my uncle E? No way. I love Uncle E…I just...I didn't exactly leave home on the best terms with everything. And if he sees me…he might tell…" Peter said in a scrambled tone. His eyes were wide with the idea of his 'Uncle E' doing anything to harm him. He hugged his knees to his chest. Charlotte could tell he was done with the conversation for now. She vowed to find more information before her birthday party.

"Even if it is, Charlotte, he probably doesn't want to see me. Not after what I did." Peter said, letting out a sigh. He held himself tighter, willing himself not to go into a panic attack.

* * *

As the days continued, Charlotte worked hard to keep Peter upstairs and hidden. She couldn't risk anything with her mother being home and watching her like a hawk. It also didn't help that Edward was here quite often, too. Charlotte really liked him, but was cautious around him, as if she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. He was nice, and he made her mother smile a lot. He also included her in things.

Just the other night, he came over to watch a movie with them. He even brought popcorn and Charlotte's favorite candy. He didn't say anything when she burrowed herself in between her mother and him on the couch, leaning her head on her mother's lap as they watched a film about a dog.

Though, much to her dismay, he didn't back her up when she tried to pitch the idea of getting a dog to her mother.

She liked him—truly, she did. She could get used to him being around here, but she was scared, for Peter's sake.

It was only days later when Charlotte and Peter revisited their conversation.

Charlotte's thoughts snapped back to reality. She had him all but cornered as she got ready for her birthday party. Her friends were coming, and she had to look her best. She was sad she couldn't bring Peter downstairs, but she couldn't risk anyone seeing him. It was starting to get harder—her mother had almost caught him a multitude of times in the past few days. She didn't even want to imagine what would happen if she had, especially if Edward was the uncle Peter was talking about.

"Charlotte, I want to tell you, but I don't want to scare you—"

The little girl scoffed, as though she'd been insulted. She tightened her pigtails with a frown on her face.

"I'm a big girl. I'm not gonna get scared by some story. I watched Frankenweenie on TV before, and it didn't scare me."

Peter wanted to laugh—how much easier everything would be if this was just a movie.

Peter thought back to the paper note he stole from his uncle's desk before he ran away. If that address had any indication as to where he was going, it wouldn't surprise him if he was the doctor Charlotte mentioned. The personality fit—his uncle was caring and kind. An uneasy feeling trembled throughout Peter's body, and he felt guilty when he thought about everything his uncle did for him, for his parents. He wasn't supposed to know about that stuff, about everything that went on between his father and Edward. The language they exchanged—before that, Peter swears he'd never heard his uncle even mutter a curse word in his presence.

Peter was good at hiding. It was easy to make himself seem invisible—which was useful for getting more information. This is what he did before he decided to run away.

He was young, but old enough to know what his parents were doing. No, they'd never actually laid a hand on him, but that didn't mean there wasn't a toll.

The fear of seeing the stillness in his parents, discarded syringes speckling the floor. The rage in his father's eyes when he didn't get a hit, the emptiness in his mother's. The whining, the fighting, words said in anger that no ten-year-old boy should hear in his own home as strangers came in and out at all times of the day and night. When it got too busy, his mom would usher him into the closet. She told him once it was because he disturbed their buzz. The fear of seeing his parents lost. When it started, it was puffs of something stronger than cigarettes, but Peter watched as it progressed to inhaling white powder off the coffee table Grandpa Carlisle made for his father, to putting the flame from a cheap, gas station lighter to the fine china his grandma gave to them. And the more they fell, the farther they disappeared—not showing up to parent-teacher conferences, family events, anything. Peter used to play baseball and was in the ski club but had fallen out when his parents couldn't commit to training schedules or trips.

"It's not a story, Charlotte; it's my home. It's what I ran away from. It's different than a movie on TV. I'll tell you, but I won't go into detail—I can't. Not just for your sake…" Peter said, feeling the tingles rise in his arms. He steadied his breaths in an attempt to keep the panic attack at bay.

"You said your mommy and daddy weren't nice…" Charlotte said, remembering something Peter told her in the earlier days of his stay, "I don't have a daddy at all…so you're already doing better than me…"

"Charlotte! You shouldn't say that! I don't know your mom, but the way it sounds, she does a lot for you to make up for that fact. It's not okay to assume—just because I have both parents, that I have it better."

"Why? I love my mommy, but I don't know what it's like to have a daddy…"

"Maybe it's better that way. My parents, Charlotte, they aren't right. They aren't okay. They've practically given themselves over to this…" Peter's voice trailed off, not sure if he should continue. He wasn't even sure if Charlotte would fully understand. He would be lying though, if he said he didn't enjoy the feeling of talking to someone and getting all these feelings off his chest. He didn't care if she didn't understand.

"Charlotte, my parents are…addicts. Things have taken over their lives—in every way possible. They've become slaves to whatever they can get their hands on. Slaves to drugs…drugs that can destroy lives."

"What are…drugs? How does someone do drugs? Is that something everyone does? Do you think my mom does drugs?"

"No, Charlotte. The kind of drugs they take are the kind normal people don't take … not if you want to be sane. I don't think your mom does them; if she did, she wouldn't be the way she is. She cooks your dinner, goes to work, buys you things—even after her accident."

"Your mommy isn't that way…?" Charlotte asked.

"No, neither is my dad. They do bad things, Char, really bad, nasty things. Worse than any horror movie you could think of. Sometimes I think it'd be easier if I just didn't exist…sure would be easier for them." Peter stated begrudgingly; he looked at the floor.

"No, Peter!" Charlotte yelled, not caring who heard. Peter's eyes flashed to the door in a panic.

"Charlotte, be quiet!"

"Don't say that! You have to exist; you're the best big brother I've ever had."

"What about your Uncle E? I thought you liked him; wouldn't he care if you didn't exist?"

"He used to. But he's not gonna anymore after he finds out I ran away on purpose."

"Don't they know you're gone? I know you ran away, but I thought you asked permission..."

"No, Charlotte, they don't know I _left._ I didn't tell my mom, I didn't tell my dad, I didn't tell my uncle. They probably think one of the mean men who always came to the house took me. Sometimes they tried, but I'd run and lock my door. They couldn't tell the police because then they would get in trouble."

"Why didn't you tell your uncle? I can tell my aunt Rosalie anything…maybe Edward could have helped."

"I doubt it. He was getting ready to leave us behind anyway. That's why I came here. I found a note on his desk with the name of a town and an address on it—this town. He had a job waiting at this hospital for a few months. I figured he would want me to come with him, so, when I ran, I came here, but he never showed. Not till now, if you're right about who the doctor is."

"But you love him, and he loves you, why wouldn't he want you to go with him? Did you ask him?"

"No, I never asked him. And I don't want to see him now. I'm too afraid… I just…ran. Something happened at home, and it just scared me. I had to leave."

Charlotte wanted to respond but was cut off by her mother calling.

"Charlotte, do you need me to come up and help you? Your friends are going to be here soon…"

"Sorry, Peter…I will try to sneak you some cake." Charlotte whispered. "No, I'm coming!" She yelled in response to her mother.

* * *

Charlotte skipped down the stairs trying her hardest to put Peter out of her mind. She couldn't be sad on the day of her party; surely someone would notice. It was difficult—she felt bad for him. She didn't know what to do anymore. She wanted to help, but guilt had already begun to creep up her spine when she thought about his parents missing him. Or his uncle. Or his family. Were they truly as bad as he says they were? Did they not worry about where he was? She didn't know what drugs entailed or how it made his parents bad, but she was sure of one thing: the look on his face told nothing but the truth.

Would his family miss him? Why did Edward seem happy? If he was Peter's uncle, wouldn't he be sad that he left? Was Peter right, was he glad to be rid of him? Charlotte didn't understand, and it made her head spin.

She stumbled down the step, lost in her thoughts. Her arm the wall with a bang. Before she could do anything, Peter appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Are you okay?" He whispered frantically. Her eyes widened, and she nodded. She raised her arm to get him to shoo, but then she heard the voice.

"Hey, Charlotte? Are you all right?" Edward's voice rang out as he approached the stairs from the kitchen. His voice was soft but loud enough for Charlotte to hear.

And Peter, by the widening of his eyes.

Quickly, he slunk back into Charlotte's room, but not before she saw the expression on his face that told her only one thing.

Edward was Peter's uncle.

"Charlotte? Did you fall?" Edward was at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes quickly moving over the small girl's body, naturally assessing her for any damage.

"Uh, no, I'm okay. I just hit my arm on the wall."

He reached his hand up, "Okay, if you're sure, may I escort you to the party, m' lady?"

Charlotte, still dazed about the revelation, simply nodded and took his hand as she continued down the stairs.

* * *

The seven-year old's birthday party was in full swing. Bella tried, one-handedly, to hold down the fort. She greeted people in her navy patterned, cap-sleeved, summer dress. Her brace was tight around her arm, but people commented about how great she looked. Her bruises were healing, her facial stitches were out, covered only by butterfly bandages, and she made an effort to do her hair and make up for this occasion.

The backyard was decked out in a small tent, lined underneath with tables and chairs. Pink and white streamers hung from the ceiling, and confetti lined the pink, cloth-covered tables. Happy Birthday, balloons lined the front table that held Charlotte's cake and her gifts. She owed a lot of thanks to Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie for giving her a hand, literally, in setting up and decorating. The boys had moved the playhouse back to the far side of the yard to make room for a pink, inflatable bounce house Charlie had rented for his granddaughter and her friends.

Freshly made food lined the tables for guests to dig in. Bella monitored the table closely, occasionally running back into the house to get refills for drink containers or the vegetable tray. Edward didn't stray too far from Bella's side, making easy conversation with members of her family or familiar faces from the hospital.

She watched him from the corner of her eye as he clutched a Coors Lite and laughed along with her burly brother-in-law, Emmett. They were discussing snowboarding in the north. There was something about him. Edward was beginning to open up and show who he was, a person she was very quickly starting to get used to having around. The way he came over in the evenings to watch movies with her, help her with dinner, or with Charlotte. Their physical relationship hadn't gone any farther than light kisses—thanks to her daughter roaming freely and her impairment. And he still hadn't discussed much about his family. It was almost as if he was avoiding the conversation completely. Perhaps, the occasion and her surrounding family would help loosen whatever wedge he was holding in place. She'd made good with her promise to herself after her initial slip up.

She wanted it more and more every day, but there were still things she needed to know.

He smiled at her when he caught her looking at him. She blushed before moving her eyes to find her daughter, jumping wildly with her friends in the bouncy house. She focused on Charlotte's bobbing curls when she felt the bench shift beside her.

"You know, if you take a picture, it will last longer," Edward said, smirking. He set his can on the table behind them. His arm slid behind her to rest on her back.

"Maybe, that smile might break my camera, though." She smiled back at him, bumping his shoulder lightly with her good arm.

"You're full of jokes, Swan. Wanna go for a spin in the bouncy house?"

"Just you and me? Sure."

"I could say a lot of things in response to that, but you're injured, and we're at a child's birthday party, so I won't."

Bella's eyes widened, and she let out a laugh as she smacked him.

"I think Jake and his band of twelve-year-olds are going to go show the little girl gang who's boss." Edward said, watching Bella's nephew. Bella noticed his expression tighten, but quickly straighten out as she glanced at his face.

She said nothing.

They sat in silence before Bella noticed the vegetable tray was running low.

"Come on," she said, standing. She grabbed Edward's hand, "we're on vegetable duty."

They made their way towards the house, but their clasped hands didn't go unnoticed as her brother-in-law zeroed in on them.

"You know, Bella, if you guys wanna go make out for a little bit, we can keep an eye on the party."

She scoffed and opened the door.

* * *

"Are you sure you can grab that? I can take anoth—" Edward started, stretching his arms to attempt room for the vegetable tray that still needed to be taken outside. Bella stood on the tip of her toes to cut him off with a simple brush of her lips against his. She could feel his mouth shut before spreading out into a smile and kissing her back. It was easy to forget the amount of stuff in his hands as she moved closer, running into the container with a clang.

Edward laughed as he pulled away from her to straighten his arms.

"All right, then. First table under the tent?" He asked, wittily hoping for another cut-off.

"Yeah, I'll be right behind you with these," Bella said, turning to pick up the plastic vegetable tray on the counter. She ignored his vigorous attempt to yell at her to wait for him to carry it as he went outside. The weight was centered on her good arm, as she filled carrots into the holder.

Sighing as the orange vegetables were nestled into the tray, she moved to head towards the back door. She reached for the handle, careful not to ruin the birthday mural her sister had painted over the glass for Charlotte. As she stepped outside, she shut the door behind her.

Peter exhaled from the base of the stairs. He knew he shouldn't be down there, especially not with this many people there, but Charlotte forgot to grab him food that morning. She told him it was risky with everyone trying to set stuff up for her party. His stomach rumbling was enough to make him attempt the impossible. As soon as he heard the click of the door to the backyard, he came sprinting into the hallway, heading for the kitchen. He'd been through the house before, searching about the rooms whenever Charlotte and Bella weren't home, and there was no risk of him getting caught.

He stood in the kitchen, looking around aimlessly at the food that lined the counters. He then eyed the paper plates, needing something to smuggle food upstairs. His belly grumbled again, harshly, so much so, that he didn't hear the sliding door open.

Bella came into the house, looking down at the ground, laughing to herself about what someone said outside. She was smiling. With a click, the door shut behind her, and she looked up

She jumped when she noticed the young blonde boy decked out in a t-shirt and swim shorts. Her brow furrowed because she didn't recognize him.

"Hey, buddy, are you looking for the bathroom?"

"Uh…yeah…and…plates…" Peter was stunned into stutters that ended in silence.

"You must be one of Jake's friends! Did you come late? I guess Rosalie did mention one of his friends was getting here late…anyway, they're right on the back of the stove." Bella said, motioning to them, while she was trying to place the boy's face. It looked familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on where exactly she'd seen him before. Assuming he was one of Jake's friends, probably a school event or something along those lines.

"The bathroom is down the other hallway, to the left. We didn't put anything away yet, so help yourself. There should be hot dogs and buns still in the microwave. Just hurry—I know you boys probably aren't interested in singing happy birthday and watching Charlotte open her gifts, but there will be cake in a little bit." She finished, smiling widely, patting the boy on the shoulder as she moved by him to grab a Mason jar from the counter, "forgot the fresh veggie dip. It will be outside if you want some."

Peter was stunned at her words and the way she touched him. He tried to nod but was frozen.

She moved back the way she came before heading through the sliding door.

* * *

 **A/N: Hmmmm. Let me know what you think. What's running through Bella's head? What about Peters? Charlottes?**

 **Thanks to everyone who read "Breakable" for halloween. I had a lot of fun writing that story. I'll be posting a custom PDF in my FB group.**

 **Also! I created a group on facebook called "Mariescullen Fanfiction"-where I'll be posting teasers, photos to go along with chapters, etc. maybe some pics of my dog. Come on over and join us!**

 **LASTLY: I submitted the first chapter of an upcoming fic called "To Catch a Dream" to the Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation. Many other amazing writers submitted wonderful stories as well. To receive this entire compilation on December 1st, 2019 (via email), please donate $10 to the ALCU or RAICES by November 24, 2019. Please visit the Public Facebook Page "Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation, for more details or their website batcomp dot blogspot dot com for more information regarding dates and donations.**

 **Here is the summary and teaser for my submission:**

 **Summary:**

 **After moving to a new town, Bella Swan receives love letters in the post, addressed to the previous tenant of the home she now occupies. The letters, with no return address, are written so beautifully that Bella cannot help but be taken by the sweet words of the unknown. /**

 **Teaser:**

961 Sonny Lane.

This was a street address Bella Swan had heard of before. In fact, she remembered it well, but for all the wrong reasons.

Years ago, before her family came to the United States from Ireland, 961 Sonny Lane was the setting of news articles that floated around the state like the plague. Nothing ever came of them; no more than a missing girl who left behind her belongings. The Daily Journal, a state-wide news report, said it was as if she had fallen off the face of the earth; vanished into thin air. This eruption of stories caused a panic in her mother as they began to plan their move only a few towns over.

It was said that the home had been empty; abandoned shortly after the 'incident.' However, the house and property had been maintained in recent years by an unknown entity, and as Bella approached, she saw it was true.

The beautiful, navy blue, cape cod-style home built in the early 1900s was something from a vintage film. It stretched across a picture-perfect lawn, adorned at the borders with eye-catching flowers. Two white pillars stood on concrete stairs, supporting a large porch, complete with rocking chairs framing the perfectly inviting front door. It matched the rest of the neighborhood, creating an atmosphere of peace and serenity.

The walkway was warm and inviting, too, as if to lure you in, she thought. A smirk appeared on her face as she stared down at the scrambled handwriting on the yellow paper in her hand.

Bella loved scary stories of all kinds; she grew up with them. So, when the well-known home went up on the market only blocks away from the university, all the average buyers scurried away from the cheap price tag, still tarnished by its history.

That was when Bella jumped on it.

Just because she loved the horror _in_ the stories, didn't mean she believed in them.

 **See you soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Lots of love to Fran for beta'ing and to LizziePaige and Gabby1017 for pre-reading.**

Chapter 13

"Thank you for letting him have some of his friends here, Bella." Rosalie said as they cleaned up wrapping paper from Charlotte's gift opening, "I swear, Jake is getting more and more bored with this kind of stuff."

"I think it's just is a boy thing that happens when they get older. At least you have Emmett for that kind of stuff."

From the corner of her eye, Bella noticed Edward swiftly move away from his spot next to her as if he was running away from Rosalie and Bella's conversation. She watches as he moves towards the other side of the yard, where the workers are taking down the bounce house.

Odd …

"True, I don't know how I would be able to handle it. His latest obsession is fishing—and he's talking about wanting to go hunting sometime in the fall. The only thing I know about fishing is what the man at PetSmart told me about the beta fish I got in college…" Rosalie trailed off, jamming paper into her black garbage bag.

Did something in Rosalie's words trigger Edward? Is that why he left? Bella's mind thought back to the photo of him and the small boy.

"Did someone say fishing?" Charlie stepped into the tent, bending down to grab a piece of wrapping paper that had made its way towards the edge.

"Yeah, Chief. How do you feel about taking my kid fishing next time you're in town?"

Bella rolled her eyes, taking the paper from Charlie. "Heading out, Dad?"

"Of course, Rose. And yeah, Bells. Sue has a club event tomorrow, so we gotta hit the road."

She leaned in to give him a quick hug and thanked him for making the trip.

"Charlotte! Come give grandpa a hug goodbye!"

The small girl came barreling towards the tent from the bouncy house. She'd been determined to get as much bounce as she could, especially now that she was alone. It didn't bother her that her Grandpa Phil, Grandma Renee, Uncle Emmett, and Edward were working to take it down. She nearly tackled Charlie, thanking him endlessly for his gift.

"Will I see you again before school starts?"

"Sure will, kiddo. Maybe your mom will be nice and let me steal you for a long weekend before you start."

Bella didn't fail to notice Charlie's eyes flash across the yard to Edward when he finished speaking.

"Yeah, Dad. Whenever you want." She said a little too quickly.

After Charlie and Sue had gone, there weren't many people left at the party. All of Charlotte's and Jake's friends had left. Come to think of it, Bella never saw the little blonde boy again. He must have left early.

"Some of Jake's friends seemed nice, Rose. I ran into the little blonde one in the kitchen. Kid was looking for the bathroom or something."

"Nice? They're middle school boys. And blonde one? I didn't think any of Jake's friends that came today were blonde. Sam, Paul, Embry, Seth…yeah, they're all dark-haired."

"What? Hmm...maybe you missed one? I highly doubt Charlotte is friends with a middle-school-aged boy."

Rosalie shrugged, "Maybe a last-minute invite. If he was nice, that's all that matters, right?

"I guess so," Bella agreed, disgruntled by Rosalie's response, though, she let it slide after a few seconds. If you asked her to name all the hair colors of Charlotte's friends that came to her party, you would be waiting a long time.

* * *

After their game of cleanup was done, Edward and Bella ended up laying across Bella's bed. The conversation was light, and they cracked jokes at one another to try and relieve the tension that he thought might be brewing. Edward knew something was going on in Bella's head, but he had no idea what it was. He knew something was coming; he just didn't know when. Would she be upset because he hadn't been forthcoming with her?

Bella knew Edward was hiding something, I mean, she couldn't miss the fact that he never mentioned his family. Hell, he avoided the conversation more times than she could count during the party alone. And if his eagerness to get away from Rosalie's conversation about her young son wasn't enough to pique Bella's interest, she wasn't sure what would.

He was going to suggest they watch a movie, given it was still early in the night. But Bella spoke before he had the chance.

"I know it's only been a few weeks, Edward, but you've become important …to me, and maybe even to Charlotte. I—I just need to know what it is that worries you. You can tell me, trust me. I'm not going to throw it back to the nosey hospital nurses if that's what you're concerned about. I just—I really like you, and I want you to be honest."

She knew he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Sorry for the dramatic choice of words—but it's true. You don't _need_ to tell me, but if we want this to go anywhere, it needs to be said. There's something you're hiding—something deep. Otherwise, it wouldn't linger there in your eyes whenever someone mentions anything about where you came from or why you left Chicago. I just need to know—if it's something dangerous or—I'm not sure you can understand how I feel since you're not a parent, but Charlotte's my first priority."

He was quiet. If Bella shut her eyes and ignored the obvious weight beside her, she would have assumed she was alone. She couldn't believe the words had left her mouth—the words that had lingered since she'd conducted her research days ago. Had she just destroyed this budding relationship? Did she really break her own heart? She mentally shook her head, thinking about her daughter. She knew about his nephew, but there was only so much she could assume from the posts. She needed to hear it from him.

After a few minutes went by, she started to wonder if Edward had fallen asleep. She glanced over at him, shocked to find his green eyes blazing. He stared motionless at the ceiling—his knuckle twitched lightly on the side. He was a ticking time bomb.

Bella sighed, feeling bad for subjecting him to this after all he'd done to help her during the party.

"Thank you for all your help today, Edward, I do appreciate it. You don't have to stay; I won't be disappointed. Just be quiet when you leave."

A million things ran through Edward's mind. It was worse than he imagined, hearing her actually say it aloud. He was angry—angry at her demand, but he understood. Thoughts from earlier raced in his mind, and he knew it was natural for her to be curious about his past. She didn't know where he came from or why he left. His mind was a pit of never-ending thoughts, new what-ifs, and whys. He'd bottled up everything for the past few months, and he was fighting himself not to let it come pouring out.

The ringing of his phone saved his sanity. He was caught in a free fall of thoughts, and the ring snapped him out of it. He never thought he'd be so grateful to be on call. He doubted he would need to go into the hospital, but it was important that he answered.

He ignored the pain from an oncoming headache. He also ignored the pain in his chest for what he was about to do to the girl next to him, knowing the words she'd spoken only a moment ago. So, he rose quickly, not allowing himself to sneak a glance at Bella. He walked quickly towards the door, opened it, and was careful to be quiet when he shut it behind him.

* * *

"Charlotte, your mom saw me."

"What do you mean, she saw you?" Charlotte asked, trying her best to look intimidating with her hands on her small hips. Her hair was still in pigtails, though they were loose and messy from her time in the bouncy castle.

"That's it. She just saw me. I'm sorry, Char. I got really hungry. I waited 'till nobody was in the kitchen—she just came back really quick. She said she forgot something in the kitchen—vegetable dip.

"What did she say? You're still here though…"

"I think she thought I was one of Jake's friends. Your cousin, right? She told me where the plates were and where the bathroom was. It seemed like she was in a rush. Told me to hurry up so I could watch you open presents."

Charlotte didn't say anything in response to Peter's confession.

"We need to do something…what would the princess in my story do? What's the right thing to do?"

"Charlotte…maybe I should leave."

"What?"

"Maybe I should leave. I don't want to have you getting in trouble. I've been out on my own for a few months, and it's still summer, I'll be fine—"

"You can't leave, Peter."

"Charlotte—"

"Then, I'm coming with you!" She stomped to the closet, pushing past Peter's makeshift bed. She dug around until she found her small, pink sparkling backpack stored away for the summer. She reached up, grabbing onto the edges of any outfit she could.

Peter moved quickly to touch her shoulder.

"You can't do that, Charlotte. You know that."

"Why not?" She huffed, whipping around to look up at Peter.

"Your mom needs you."

"It sounds like she doesn't need me." Charlotte huffed as her mother's bell-like laugh came from the other side of the hallway.

Peter bit his lip, realizing his uncle might still here.

"She cares about you, Charlotte. You can't come with me. Just imagine what you'd be leaving behind. Your mom had a whole birthday party for you, just for you. And your whole family came. And your friends. You don't know what you'd be leaving behind."

"But you left and you seem happy now. I don't care about the stupid birthday party, or a stupid fishing trip. Not if you won't be here to hear about it."

"I'm happy because of you, Char. You're the best little sister I've ever had. And that's why you can't come with me."

"There's no point in being here. I don't want to be alone anymore."

"I'm sure my Uncle E will make sure you're not alone," Peter said, looking at the ground.

"See, that's why you should stay! You never told me why you're so scared of him. If everything you said about him is real, then he loves you; he'd take care of you. What if—what if my mom and your uncle were like the prince and princess in my story? What if they fell in love? Then you can leave your parents, the mean ones, behind, and just stay with us forever. We—we could be a family!"

"It doesn't work that way, Charlotte. I told you, I can't see him. Not after running away. What if he thinks I'm not good enough handle my mom and dad? I don't want my uncle to be disappointed in me. I don't know if you understand." His face was hard now. The argument was over. His mind was set.

The tension lingered in the air.

"What if you staying to see him is the right thing to do? The brave thing to do? What the lion would do!"

Peter shook his head, and Charlotte raged with anger.

"You're right, Peter. Maybe you should leave."

Charlotte turned away from him and threw her backpack on the ground. She walked away from him, hesitantly padding towards the bed. She climbed into the bed; the covers untucked from where her mom tucked her in earlier. Earlier, when she was happy—happy from the party, eager for her mom to leave her room so she could turn the closet light back on to tell Peter of the day she had. She jerked the covers back, crawling to the far side of the bed where she tightly wound herself into a ball.

And then she felt something she had never felt before.

Her small, innocent heart shattered into pieces. Dozens of them, scattered along the floor as if they were confetti strewn on tables.

Tears dripped down her face, leaving cold trails behind on her cheek. Her breathing was shallow. And for the first time, in her seven years of life, Charlotte Swan cried herself to sleep.

Peter watched and listened from the crack in the bedroom door, his own heart was breaking at that moment too, knowing his time in the Swan household was coming to an end. He loved his uncle—he couldn't blame him for wanting to be a part of this family. Charlotte and Bella were pure and kind and wonderful.

His body ran cold with hate—not for the scene before him, or for his uncle, or for the fate that put him here.

He hated that he would never know another family like the one who lived in this house … the one he would soon be leaving.

 **A/N: *hides* See you next week...**

 **In the meantime...**

 **Join my group on FB! "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, pics to go with chapters, etc.**

 **My halloween short story "Breakable" has been nominated in the TwiFanfictionRecs Top Ten Fics completed in October. If you enjoyed it, please go over to their website and vote daily! It would mean a lot! I am still working on the custom pdf, but will post it soon.**

 **I have another little short story coming in December called "Oh Reindeer!"**

 **I submitted the first chapter of an upcoming fic called "To Catch a Dream" to the Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation. Many other amazing writers submitted wonderful stories as well. To receive this entire compilation on December 1st, 2019 (via email), please donate $10 to the ALCU or RAICES by November 24, 2019. Please visit the Public Facebook Page "Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation, for more details or their website batcomp dot blogspot dot com for more information regarding dates and donations.**

 **Also, check out TFMU 2020 on FB! It will be in Austin, TX. This will be my first one, I am excited!**

 **I want to start doing rec's as well. This week's rec is:**

 **Kindred Counterparts** by StarryEyedWriter8 **-** The saying 'love at first sight' certainly didn't pertain to Edward Cullen and Bella Swan. Heck, they didn't even like each other. Will time, family, and circumstance be able to change their predicament? AU

 **Happy reading!**

 **\- sarah**


	14. Chapter 14

**This one was rough, but I am happy to have my beta, Fran, helping me out. Also, pre-readers Gabby1017 and LizziePaige for their great feedback and helping me work through things from different perspectives!**

 **Boy in the Backyard Chapter 14**

Peter felt horrible how things were left before she went to bed. He had sunk back into the closet after her words burned him like fire.

He had sat in the back, next to her abandoned backpack. He stared at the floor; his heart punctured by Charlotte's failed attempt to conceal her sobs.

He had to be firm in his decision—it wasn't safe for her to come with him. She was only seven for crying out loud. Some big brother he was turning out to be; he couldn't even give her a gift on her birthday.

For the sake of Charlotte and Bella, he had to leave. He would stay with Charlotte until the morning, though—maybe the afternoon. It would depend on how long his uncle stayed. Peter thought he heard the door downstairs shut but was too scared to check. He managed to get away from Bella unscathed, but there was no way in hell he would be able to get away from his uncle.

Would it be easier for him to slip away in the night? He didn't want to cause Charlotte anymore pain. What if someone saw him?

Suddenly, he heard footsteps going back up the stairs.

He decided to wait.

* * *

Edward laid on the bed next to Bella, sprawled so loosely his feet hung over the edge, his discarded jacket left on the floor. He was still next to her, but with distance, as if he was afraid she would reject him.

"I thought you left." She said softly.

"I needed to take a call. It was the hospital, and I had to step outside."

"You seemed pretty set to leave before your phone saved you," Bella said, not with resentment or anger, but merely out of curiosity. She was still tucked into the bed, covers wrapped around her, her head tilted the other direction, looking away from him.

"I was going to—I don't think I would have left. I just needed to get some air."

"What are you so afraid of?" Bella asked, finally turning to him. She moved quickly, pushing the blankets down, causing a sharp pain to shoot up her arm. Edward scooted himself forward and reached over to help her sit up. She maneuvered around him, working to slide her legs around his waist. It felt right to be close to him. She could see the mask he always wore crumbling before her in his dulling green eyes. He couldn't be that upset with her; he didn't even try to move her away. Instead, he moved to rest his head on her good shoulder.

"Careful, Bella."

Her hand raised to smooth his nape. She gently rubbed circles, relishing the feeling of his hair as it grazed the smooth pad of her thumb. There was no tension between them.

"I'll tell you why I came here, and why I don't talk about family. But I'm gonna need some answers from you after." Edward spoke softly, leaning into her touch.

She nodded her head in acknowledgment, her hand rubbing his ear lightly.

"You already know I'm from Evanston, grew up there, went to college there. And Illinois has always felt like home to me—the only reason I even left for medical school was because you can't really turn down a seat at UPenn. I didn't even think I'd get in—they've about a 4% acceptance rate to their medical program. So when I did, I had to open myself up to leaving.

It might not sound that difficult, but I grew up with the same group of people, went to a private school with all the same people, then went to college with them too—it was hard. I have a brother and a sister—leaving them, and my parents was just as hard. It was worse when I got to UPenn and didn't hate it. And it was nice not to have my father's name overshadowing me—he's a cardiothoracic surgeon in Chicago. Everyone expected me to be just like him—and I enjoyed not being in his constant shadow. That's not really relevant to what happened before I left this year, but it might plant a seed in your mind of where everything began. I finished school there, and some changes in my family made me go back to Chicago.

When I left, things were getting somewhat hectic with my siblings. My sister, Alice, got married. She and her husband, Jasper, own a few businesses in Chicago. It wasn't a bad thing—Jasper's awesome—good for Alice. You'll understand if you ever meet her. We're not as close as we used to be—I've not been on the best terms with some of my family since I went to medical school, even after I came back for residency. I was closer to my brother Garrett for a while. Garrett…was an engineer. He has, well had, I'm not really sure anymore, a wife named Kate."

He said the name, Kate, with contempt, but when he spoke of his brother, Bella could hear the longing in his voice. Perhaps, he didn't want to hate him, but it was almost as if he had no choice.

But with Kate, his words were ice cold.

"Sorry, I cannot even fathom how much I despise that woman. You'll never meet her, for my own sanity and yours."

It was strange to hear him this way—she was used to playful remarks, sarcasm, and sweet words. She didn't know Kate, but curiosity burned inside of her to know what it was she could do to make Edward talk with venom laced in his voice.

"Kate and Garrett dated through high school and college—he's about a few years older than me. I always looked up to him, but we've always clashed about Kate; I thought she was wrong for him. And I might sound like a prick or pretentious when I say this, but I always had a bad feeling about her when we were growing up. I warmed up to her a little bit right before I started college—they had a son, my nephew, Peter.

Bella noticed the venom fade from his voice at the mention of the little boy's name. She felt his Adam's apple bob against her shoulder, and he swallowed whatever emotion had crawled to the top of his throat.

"I knew I'd probably leave Illinois again after medical school, but it was awesome to watch Peter grow. Garrett and I were still pretty close when he was younger, so I got to see him a lot. I'm sure you understand from having Charlotte, but they can be entertaining little people. He seemed to like hanging out with me too. That's one of the only reasons I didn't want to leave, even when I went to school. I knew what Kate was like, and I was afraid Garrett wasn't going to be able to be as assertive with her as he should have been. Anyway, having Peter around was great. I taught him to do a lot—ski, ride a bike, play ball.

I used to babysit him whenever I could if Garrett or Kate were busy, and I had a free day during undergrad, but family vacations were always where I spent the most time with him. They were great—we used to be an extremely close family, the kind that would make you sick—obnoxious holiday dinners, family trips during winter breaks. This last Christmas, I kind of threw a wrench in our tradition by going on a trip to South America with a medical program my hospital sponsored. I'll get to that later, though.

When I got back to Chicago and started working, Garret, Kate, and Peter moved to Elgin. It's a town about an hour or so outside the city. Initially, I wasn't happy about that because, with the schedule of a brand-new resident and the commute, it was hard to see them regularly. I'd really look forward to the holidays when they'd come to stay at my parents' house, so it'd be less of a trek to see them.

Anyway, late last year, I drove to Elgin to surprise Peter for his birthday. I was going to take him to hang out and get him a new snowboard since I had to break the news that I was leaving for a few months.

When I got there, I knocked on the door, and nobody answered. Usually, Peter would see me through his window and come running. It was strange because both Garrett and Kate's cars were in the driveway. I opened the door, and that's when things became clear.

Those two fuckers were right there. Garrett was unconscious on the couch, and Kate was passed out next to him with a plastic bag of god-knows-what. I began to dig around to see if they had Narcan or anything I could use to rouse them. I was so upset I hadn't even noticed there were others in the house; most of them were sleeping or stirring. I had to use the Narcan on Kate, but Garrett was just in sort of fog. I remember the look on Garrett's face when he saw who it was that roused him.

I stayed and did what I could without getting the authorities involved. It seemed their home had become a den for all the local druggies to grab a hit. The pantry was empty, and the house was disgusting."

Edward continued to speak as the flashback played like a film in his mind.

"I stayed for as long as I could without things getting violent. The rage I felt … I had never experienced anything like that before.

Garrett told me Peter was at our parent's house and that he had never been subjected to any of this.

He begged me not to go to the police or report them, and I agreed. I wanted to give him time to get clean but insisted he tell Mom and Dad and to have them keep Peter for a while. He readily agreed … maybe too easily.

I began to help them out, financially. I talked to my colleagues to find out if there were any programs near Elgin they could recommend, but it was difficult without giving him away. I gave Garrett some names, but there wasn't much else I could do without getting the authorities involved. I even gave Garrett money so Peter could register for his snowboarding trip and get a new board. I know some of the guys that run the program at his school, so I was excited for him.

It seemed as if Garrett was starting to get back on top of things as the weeks passed.

I did as much as I could with the limited time I had between my grueling work schedule and the commute back to Elgin. I believed I did the right thing by Garrett when I agreed not to get the police involved or to tell my parents.

Peter was safe, and that was my main concern. I left for South America the next day."

Edward shook his head, looking down. His breathing hitched, and he pulled his face from behind Bella's shoulder. He let out a long sigh before raising his hands to cover his eyes, clenching them together.

"I was wrong though…he wasn't safe."

 **In the meantime...**

 **Join my group on FB! "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, pics to go with chapters, etc.**

 **My halloween short story "Breakable" has been nominated in the TwiFanfictionRecs Top Ten Fics completed in October. If you enjoyed it, please go over to their website and vote daily! It would mean a lot! I am still working on the custom pdf, but will post it soon.**

 **I have another little short story coming in December called "Oh Reindeer!"**

 **I submitted the first chapter of an upcoming fic called "To Catch a Dream" to the Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation. Many other amazing writers submitted wonderful stories as well. To receive this entire compilation on December 1st, 2019 (via email), please donate $10 to the ALCU or RAICES by November 24, 2019. Please visit the Public Facebook Page "Babies at the Border Fiction Compilation, for more details or their website batcomp dot blogspot dot com for more information regarding dates and donations.**

 **Also, check out TFMU 2020 on FB! It will be in Austin, TX. This will be my first one, I am excited!**

 **This week's rec is:**

 **Under The Willows by CiaraShayee : Summary: He's given up on his future. She's barely getting started on hers.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **\- sarah**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. Thanks to LizziePaige and Gabby1017 for pre-reading!**

 **The Boy in the Backyard Chapter 15**

"Edward, you don't have to continue if you don't want. I can see how hard this is for you."

"It's just…you're the first person I've talked to about any of this. I didn't date anyone I wanted to be serious with before you. I couldn't really talk about these kinds of things. I want to finish; I just need a minute." Edward said, sniffing and reaching for a tissue.

Bella pulled him back to her shoulder. She brushed his hair with her hand, letting the short auburn locks glide between her fingers. Edward peppered her with soft kissed and burrowed his face deeper into the crook of her neck. The warmth from his sweatshirt lingered on her arm as she stroked his hair. She kissed to the top of his head, lowering hers to let her nose brush gently over his hair.

"Nobody's sure what happened. I didn't even know until they called me. He was just gone. Nobody at school had seen him; none of his friends knew where he was or if he was planning on going somewhere. Garrett and Kate claimed they weren't home when it happened. The front window of their house was shattered; Peter's bike was in the front yard with a dent in it. They found blood on the grass, but not a significant amount, and it was Peters. Of course, everyone was frantic.

I got an offer to come to work here after I came back from South America and I was going to take it. I wanted a change of scene...but I just couldn't at the time. Peter was more important than some silly job. Days went by—they weren't sure if it was a kidnapping or if he ran away and tried to make it seem that way. None of his stuff was gone, which made people think he was abducted. They didn't know who would want to take him or who would want to hurt my brother and Kate. That's when the police started asking questions.

"Of course, things started to surface. People asked about Peter's whereabouts leading up to his disappearance. They lied. Those dirty pieces of…Bella, they lied to me. Peter was never at my parents. In fact, they claim they didn't know where he was. They said he would run off with friends when they would get high. But they had no idea where he was or how long he was away. My family now knows I was helping Garrett out financially, but I don't think they understand the magnitude of the situation. After the lies surfaced, they didn't blame me, but I couldn't stop thinking about all the things I could have done; I could have tried harder to help in some way. But I thought Peter was somewhere safe from what was happening in that house. If I just called my damn parents to make sure they were telling the truth.

"The weeks went by, and it was almost three months later. There was no trace of Peter, and there still isn't. After a while, I decided I was putting off this job opportunity for something that was out of my control. You can think I'm a bad person if you want, but I just left. I told my family I needed to get away from Chicago—it was screwing with my sanity. I talk to my parents every day, but there is never any change. They're more forgiving of me for helping Garrett, but Alice isn't. I don't think she knows the full story. They still look for him...though I know my father thinks he's..."

He trailed off.

Edward's voice was cold against her shoulder. He sniffed again, raising his hand to his eye.

"And that's that. You can enlighten the hospital rumor mill if you'd like about why I delayed starting. It probably won't be as creative as some of the stories the nurses hear." He attempted to lighten the mood of the room after his confession.

It hit Bella hard. She already knew the little boy was missing, but it tore her heart open all over again, hearing Edward speak the words. It made the situation a reality. She didn't even realize tears were falling down her face until he reached up to catch them.

"Edward, you have to know I don't think you're a bad person. I think you're incredibly strong and compassionate. I…I would have left too. I'm not sure if I could have stuck around as long as you did. I hate that you're in so much pain over this." She said quickly, grabbing his hand. He looked down to meet her gaze. They lingered before he gently grabbed her face with both of his hands and brought his lips to hers.

In between kisses, she grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes.

"I wish I could help you. She said desperately, scooting closer to him.

"Bella, you do help me. In every way possible. I wouldn't have been able to even talk about this with anyone but you. That's part of the reason I'm here. You and Charlotte are becoming so important to me. I know it's only been a few weeks, but I know you're special."

She grabbed his hand, and he pulled her gently to his chest, leaning back against the pillows to stroke her hair.

The minutes passed slowly. Bella's breathing was the shallow soundtrack in Edward's ears as he stared at the bleak ceiling attempting to collect his thoughts. Now that she knew everything, he could finally breathe. He turned his chin to see if she had fallen asleep but was surprised to find her staring intently at him.

After a few more seconds had passed, she began to speak softly.

"You help me too, you know," she said seriously.

"Do I?" He said, something light flashing in his eyes. He snuggled closer to her side.

"Yes."

Edward kissed her neck gently.

"I went to Kutler College—got into their PA program by the time I was a freshman-

"Knew you were a nerd."

"Anyway, I went to a party my junior year. One of the only times I went to a party during my entire college career."

The humor drained from Edward's eyes as he realized where she was going with this story.

"I was casually seeing this guy; his name was Riley. It'd only been a few weeks into everything, and it was the middle of the semester, so we didn't have time for a lot of things. Definitely nothing physical. Long story short, I'm not exactly sure what happened at the party—I didn't drink a lot or anything—Rosalie thinks he or someone slipped something into my drink."

"Bella were you…" Edward trailed off, his eyes widening. His teeth gritted, and Bella felt his arms tighten slightly.

"I don't know." Bella shook her head softly, "I think…but it was foggy. There could have been consent…Now that I think about it, people told me what happened that night … but they were all his friends. I was only twenty—I was scared. I needed solid proof, but I didn't have it. I waited…because I was confused. I didn't even start to think something like that could have happened until a week or so after."

"So, when I got pregnant, I was really scared. It was Riley's—he told me we definitely...uh…had intercourse, but never the circumstances surrounding it. He wanted nothing to do with her—signed away his parental rights right after Charlotte was born. Luckily, my parents and my sister helped me so I could finish school. I don't try to dwell on it because I don't know exactly what happened—it could have been me being irresponsible, but I wouldn't give up Charlotte for anything in the world. Sometimes it's hard to see her grow up without someone constant in her life … a male figure. I don't date a ton, only here and there, but apparently, she's hard to impress."

She turned to him and pressed her face into his sleeve.

"You help by showing me that not everyone is the same. Maybe there's hope after all. Just the way you are with me, with her, and even now, when you tell me about what you've done for your nephew. You're special to me, too, Edward."

"Bella, you really don't know how lovely you are." He said, leaning closer to her, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

At that moment, her fears vanished, and in the heat of the moment, she pressed her lips delicately against his. She was frantic, her lips molding gently against his as he pulled her closer. Her good hand reached gently under his sweatshirt, running gradually against along the lines of his stomach.

"Bella, baby, I don't—I don't think that's a good idea." He pulled her closer, her mouth trailing kisses down his neck. Her good arm wrapped around him from under his shirt, yanking his neck down hungrily to press her lips against his.

Bella's control was gone. She wanted this—needed this. And he needed it too, she could feel it.

She moved tightly against him, sitting up and widening her legs so she could be closer to him. His arms came around her, gently, watching out for her shoulder. She could feel every inch of him pressed against her.

She lifted his shirt, urging him to remove it. Edward's mind was putty in her hands—all concern for her dissipated as soon as it hit the floor. Her mouth went to his chest, and the heat on his skin from her lips was enough to convince him to go just a little farther. Her good hand ran down the tightening muscles of his back.

"Please," she whispered, punctuating the word with another scorching kiss to his chest. He moaned against her neck.

"Mmm..." He tried to argue.

She reached down to undo the buckle of his jeans, running her hands gently over the hardening length underneath them. She cupped her hands around it, gently pumping him as he worked on undoing his belt.

"Bella…we…can't…" He trailed off and laid his hands back as her hand, which was gently pulling down his zipper. She felt him through his silk boxers, the heat growing in her core.

"Yes, we can." She said.

"Your arm…your medications…what about..." He trailed off, falling against the pillows from the caress of her fingertips.

"I'll get on top; I don't even need to move my arm. I have condoms in the nightstand."

"Bella…what if you get hur…"

"Edward, please. I need you, and you need me. I can feel it," she ran a hand over him, "please, make love to me. Please let me show you how much I need you."

He reached over her; the air filled with the growing tension. The only sound in the room was the slamming of the nightstand drawer as his lips met hers.

* * *

Daylight was a magical thing in the Swan household. It brought on new ventures, new perspectives, and sometimes, when they're lucky, they get to continue the ventures from the previous night. Each of the Swan girls were nestled tightly in their beds, surrounded by the arms of someone they cared about dearly.

Peter pulled Charlotte's back against him. The initial worry slipped away, but he hoped fate wouldn't be cruel enough to send her mother barreling into the room to interrupt what little time he had left with her. Charlotte had stopped crying in the middle of the night, lulling herself into a deep sleep. He's not sure if she noticed his presence.

He was still sure of his decision. The peaceful, sleeping girl beside him only reassured him.

Bella was shaken awake by the ruffling of the sheets. The comforter was pulled down on Edward's side of the bed. The cold air brushed against her neck. She opened her eyes wider, raising her good arm to wipe her eyes.

"Good dreams?" Edward said with a smile from across the room. His hair was wet, the auburn locks clinging to his forehead above his black-rimmed glasses as he fastened the belt on his jeans.

"It'd be better if they weren't dreams…" She smiled at him but reduced it to a frown as he moved to put on his shirt.

"Believe me, I'd much rather spend the day with you in bed, beautiful. I've got two twelves in front of me. I can come over tomorrow night or the day after if you want."

Bella let Charlotte sleep longer than usual to rest after her eventful day. She decided to cook Charlotte's favorite breakfast, which took a little longer since she was down one hand. It took her the duration of the morning. but her good mood didn't falter.

"Charlotte!" Bella yelled, running up the stairs eagerly. I

The loud knocking on Charlotte's door was enough to throw Peter off. He woke, startled, and rolled off the side of the bed.

Charlotte shot up, confused at Peter's sudden movements and the loud noise.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Peter made it to the closet, but barely.

"Charlotte! Time to get up, silly! It's almost eleven. I made your favorites for breakfast. Grab your blankets and come downstairs. I'm taking the trash out, but then we'll eat and camp out on the couch and watch all your favorite movies today. How's that sound? Just you and me. You don't even have to get dressed."

Charlotte's eyes widened and shot swiftly to where Peter was hiding. He didn't even get the chance to shut the door. He slunk back, hoping for the best. She moved quickly, running to hug her mother, which was entirely needed after her night of tears.

"Umm...okay, Mommy."

Bella hugged her back and placed a kiss on her head.

It was then and there she made her decision.

She needed Peter to stay—he was her brother. She needed him like she needed her mother.

This was the only way.

"I'll come downstairs in a few minutes with my blankets."

Bella nodded, squeezing her little girl once more, as she left the room. She left the bedroom door wide open, retreating quickly down the steps.

"Peter, if you're going to go, you need to do it now, when she's out in the front. Go hide in the playhouse 'till it's clear for you to leave."

Peter, still startled at what had just nearly happened, merely nodded.

 _This is what you_ _want._ He thought to himself.

Charlotte bundled her pillow and blankets in her small arms. Peter quickly ducked into the closet to retrieve the stuffed lion that had brought them together in the first place.

"No, you can keep it," Charlotte said, not looking Peter in the eye. She moved quickly down the stairs.

Peter took a deep breath and followed her, clutching the lion to his chest.

They walked through the foyer towards the living room, observing the breakfast buffet her mother had laid out on the coffee table for their movie marathon. Beyond the living room, they entered the kitchen nearing the back door.

"Well, Charlotte…I guess…this is goodbye."

"Yeah…" Charlotte said, her eyes darting out towards the yard. Her plan had to work. It was Sunday, which meant the garbage cans were on the backside of the house. They didn't drag them to the front until Tuesday.

"I'm really sorry, Peter. I had to." Charlotte said suddenly.

"What?" Peter said but was cut off by the sliding door opening behind them.

"Are you ready for breakfast, Charl—" Bella froze as she turned around.

Her breathing hitched as she took in not one, but two children staring back at her.

 **A/N:** **In the meantime...**

 **Join my group on FB! "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, pics to go with chapters, etc.**

 **My story Breakable made it to the top ten stories completed in October! Thanks for voting!**

 **In a few weeks, I will have a new short story titled: Oh Reindeer: Here's the summary:** After returning to her hometown for winter break, Bella Swan is unhappy to find her next-door neighbor and ex, Edward Masen home as well. When Bella finds a lost baby reindeer in the woods just a few days before Christmas, she confides in Edward to help her find its way home.

 **Checkout the Pay it Forward Winterward 2019 Card Contest! Submit a photo of how you think Edward Cullen would be celebrating the December holidays! Each entry must have a photo on the front along with a caption or short story tying everything together (no longer than 500 words). Entries are being accepted until December 20th and winners will be announced on December 25. Check out the facebook group "Winterward Card Contest 2019" for more information!**

 **Happy reading!**

 **\- sarah**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks to Fran for beta'ing and Gabby for pre-reading.**

Chapter 16

Edward drove to work feeling content. It wasn't from spending the night with a woman he was beginning to care about deeply, or the fact that the summer sun was shining through the windows of his Tesla. It was the feeling of his shoulder's becoming lighter. They weren't completely free of burdens, but after his long talk with Bella last night, it was better. It had been so long since he had talked to anyone about his nephew.

Thinking about Peter was difficult.

He couldn't help but shoulder the blame for what he didn't know. Was there anything he could have done? He would have given up anything if he had known what was going to happen. He didn't care too much about family, but Peter stuck to his side like glue.

'A mini-me,' his mother used to say.

Getting away had been a true breath of fresh air, and unloading to a friend was another fresh gulp. But no matter how much air he got; he could not shake the guilt. Not until Peter was found…safe and alive.

Snapshots of the conversation from the previous night flashed into his head. Edward felt his fists tighten on the steering wheel, and he pressed harder onto the gas pedal.

Garrett. Kate.

Did they hurt him? Did they think he was still alive…somewhere?

It had been ages since he talked to his brother or his wife. He couldn't fathom it. Their lies and his stupidity were the cause of all this.

Like clockwork, his phone began to ring on his way to work. He tapped a button on the screen of his car display.

"Anything?" He greeted.

"No, Edward. You know that. I don't know how many times we have to…No. There is nothing new. There hasn't been for months." His father's voice solemnly came through the speaker, "that's not why I'm calling."

"Then why are you calling? I've got a shift in twenty minutes."

"I'll get right to it then, Edward; your mother wants you to come home. I do too." Carlisle stated.

"Yeah, you're only ones." Edward huffed.

"Now, you know that's not true." Carlisle chastised his son.

"When's the last time you talked to Alice or Jazz?" Edward said, rolling his eyes. He was at the hospital now, pulling into a space.

"A few weeks ago, but that's not the point. They don't hate you like you seem to think they do. Alice even said she would have done the same if she were capable."

"I'm sure she would."

"Now, no need for smart comments. This entire situation has caused stress for us all, and it continues to do so. Three, four months is a long time to live in guilt, Edward. We are passed putting the blame on anyone." Carlisle chided.

"I know exactly who to blame." Edward seethed.

"Now, now. When's the last time you talked to Garrett?"

"Two months. Not planning on changing that."

"Edward…we think we should be together as a family again; it's been too long. I've talked to the Chief at Northwestern…we could get you in as soon as next week. They're always looking for talented trauma doctors."

"No, Dad. I'm happy here. Besides, I turned them down a long time ago. There's nothing left for me in Chicago…"

"Nothing? And what about Peter? Your mother? You're so hopeful for him…" His father's voice slipped but corrected itself.

"I didn't mean it like that, and you know it. Chicago just isn't right for me anymore. It wasn't before everything happened."

"Edward…"

"Uh, Dad. I have to go. I hear sirens, and I need to change." Edward said quickly, stabbing the end call button with his finger.

He took several deep breaths, trying desperately to control the rage. Eventually, he got out of the car, slammed the door shut, and quickly walked towards the doors of the hospital.

He was eager for the distractions.

* * *

"Charlotte…" Bella said cautiously, moving towards her daughter and yanking her away from the strange child until they were pressed against the back door. Her eyes were wide with shock as she was ripped across the room. "Charlotte…" Bella said cautiously, moving towards her daughter, before yanking her away from the unfamiliar child.

"Mommy...you have to—" Charlotte, her eyes wide with shock, starting to squirm.

"Stay back, Charlotte," Bella whispered, glancing at her sternly before looking back toward the boy.

"Who are you? How did you get in here? How…" Bella trailed off; her saucer-like eyes trained on the small blonde boy.

"Mom!" Charlotte said louder, trying to tug away from her grip.

"Charlotte, I said be quiet." Bella snapped.

"I'll ask you again…how did you get into the house?" The cold tone in her voice made the boy stagger back in fear.

"Mom, his name is Peter," Charlotte said, breaking free of her mother's grip.

The shock of her daughter's words caused Bella's blood to run cold as she turned to look at the struggling girl in her arms.

"What did you say?"

"His name is Peter…Peter Cu—" Charlotte was cut off by the blonde boy throwing a look of disapproval at her.

"How do you know that?" Bella asked, stepping away from Charlotte to get a better look at her. Charlotte crossed the kitchen to stand next to Peter.

"He's my friend, Mom. I've been telling you about him for days." Charlotte confessed.

"This is your friend? How did you get in here?" Bella questioned sharply.

"Mom, I let him in. He's my friend!" Charlotte cried.

"Is she telling the truth? Did she let you in? How long have you been here?" Bella asked the boy before catching a detail she had forgotten. "I saw you yesterday…at the birthday party. I thought you were one of my nephew's friends."

"Uh…yeah. I was…hungry. Charlotte wasn't sure the next time she would be able to sneak food for me." Peter said softly, staring at the floor. He was too frightened to make eye contact.

"Where did you come from? Charlotte, why in the hell would you let a stranger in our house? Kid or not…does your safety mean nothing to you? What if he was dangerous!"

"Mommy, he's not dangerous. He's been here since before you got hurt. I'm pretty sure if he was dangerous, we would be hurt by now." Charlotte said matter-of-factly.

"What did you say, Charlotte Marie?" Bella's eyes widened.

"He ran away from home. He's been here since Jess was here last."

"Charlotte…what? That was…" She felt faint.

Bella stumbled back to the table, pulling a chair out to catch herself before her daughter's revelation caused her to black out.

"Please don't be mad at Charlotte. I can leave. I will leave. I was going to leave." Peter said stuttering. He was afraid of what Bella was going to do now that she knew their secret. Was she going to hurt Charlotte? He didn't think so—they were nothing like his parents, but he was still scared. He fought the urge to step in front of the woman to protect her.

"No, you're not leaving." Bella raised her head and stared at the boy. She felt like she knew him from somewhere else. Her head was spinning, so she paid little attention to it, "Charlotte, we need to call the police."

"No, we don't—" Her daughter started.

"Charlotte, we need to call the police. Think about his family. God, his mother must be worried sick. I can't even think. We need to call them and get this sorted. You can't be far from home." Bella said, looking at both children.

"No, Mommy, please." Charlotte began to yell.

"Peter, I need you to tell me some things. How did my daughter find you? How long have you been here exactly? What's your full name? Do you know your telephone number? Where are your parents? Why did you run away from home? I need more to tell the cops." Bella fired questions at the boy as if they were at a batting cage.

"Mommy, please!"

"Uh…I…" Peter was cut off by the rumbling of his stomach. Bella sighed. Realizing she wasn't going to get answers like this. She could tell the boy was frightened, and Charlotte was whining at the top of her lungs.

"Mommy, please…"

"Charlotte, you need to be quiet. Now. And listen. Here's what is happening. You've got to be hungry, kid. There is plenty to eat on the living room table… and then we can look over…Peter to make sure he's all right. Then, we are sitting down and figuring everything out. Peter, give me a number to call. I need to leave a message for someone." Bella spoke in a sharp tone. Neither kid dared not listen to every word she said.

Peter mumbled the numbers, looking down at the ground. Charlotte cried out loud again behind him.

Eight-four-seven, two-four-two, nine-one-nine-eight.

"Now, Charlotte, go sit in the living room. There are plates there. Eat. Peter, you too, please." Bella said, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

She wasn't sure how long the encounter had taken, but with cooking and preparing for what she thought was going to be a normal day spending time with her daughter, she had no idea of the time. She shook her head and began to scroll through her phone, mostly Facebook notifications and tagged photos from the party yesterday, but there were a few messages from Edward—typical 'good mornings' and complains about working. The last one said he was looking forward to seeing her tomorrow and he would call her later.

She bit her lip. Their perfect night together seemed so far away. In only moments, her life seems to have flipped upside down.

She needed to get to the bottom of this.

What on earth would possess Charlotte to let someone inside their house? They'd had the _stranger danger_ talk a thousand times. Perhaps, she thought another child didn't apply? She is too outgoing for her own good.

Damn it.

Bella huffed.

It looked vaguely familiar, but she brushed it off. It wasn't an area code she recognized off the top of her head. As she dialed the number, she stared out the window, deep in thought. She paid little attention to the screen of her phone.

How had this happened? Why did the boy run away from home? How far did he run? If she didn't recognize the area code…

The line rang twice.

She studied a tree in the backyard when a click on the other end signaled an answer.

She took a breath, preparing to be met with the voice of a desperate mother, clutching the phone in her hand, praying every call was the one that would tell her good news about her child. She tried to picture herself in the position of the person on the other end of the line but was met with a frozen chill running down her spine at the thought.

Or was it the voice that answered that caused it?

"Bella? Is everything okay? Did I leave something? You caught me in the break room, but I can't really talk right now—"

Edward's voice rang over line.

"Bella?"

"Uh…I'm sorry, I hit the wrong button. I didn't mean to call you."

"That's alright, everything okay?"

"Uh…yeah, hey I have to go. I'll…uh…call you later." Bella stuttered; her heart raced.

"Oka—" she hung up quickly, cutting him off.

This had to be a mistake. She must have hit a recent call on accident when she wasn't looking at the phone.

That _had_ to be it.

She shook her head, her loose hair swayed on her shoulders. _Idiot._

Eight-four-seven, two-four-two, nine-one-nine-eight.

She repeated the number to herself as she typed it in.

Paying close attention to her the screen of her iPhone, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

A cute, smirking photo of a certain redheaded doctor she'd snapped at Charlotte's birthday party stared back at her. The photo she set for Edward's contact photo.

She double checked the numbers.

The shiver down her spine returned when she realized they matched.

 **A/N:** **I have some time to be writing this week so I will try to get Chapter 17 out as soon as I can. Some real-life stuff with my health has gotten in the way for a while, but it's on its way to getting figured out. I am also starting my first semester of graduate school next week!**

 **In the meantime…**

 **My Christmas short story "Oh Reindeer" was nominated for Top Ten Fics Completed in December on TwiFanFictionRecs! Head over to that website to vote once a day until the 31** **st** **of January if you enjoyed it! I'd appreciate it!**

 **I have a FB group called "Mariescullen Fanfiction" where I post teasers, manips, and photos for chapters, and even pictures of my dog. Please feel free to join if you're on that platform.**

 **Lots of cool stuff coming this year** **J**

 **Sending prayers and positive thoughts to Lizzie and any of my other Australian readers.**

 **Happy New Year and see you soon!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. Thanks to mykcullen96 and Gabby1017 for pre-reading.**

 **Chapter 17**

Her mind was jumbled and racing. This couldn't be what she thought it was, could it? There had to be some oddly complex reasoning for this to be occurring. Some chance in hell that her dialing skills with one hand were incorrect both times, maybe the number Peter provided was just similar to Edwards?

She stood to pace around the kitchen.

She opened the internet browser on her phone, punching in the eight-four-seven area code into the search bar.

 _…_ _Chicago, Evanston, Illinois area code._

Or maybe there's a lot of people from Illinois.

Or maybe Occam's razor was it.

Since absolutely none of this made sense.

Bella looked back toward the living room where Charlotte and Peter sat on the couch, talking quietly amongst themselves. And she wanted to kick herself. She reacted terribly. She worked in a hospital for crying out loud. She knew better than to fire off questions a million miles a minute, but she was frantic.

Damn, maybe if you let the kid speak Bella, he would have told you…something to go off of.

Was it that simple?

She felt nauseous at her next thought.

Was Edward's nephew—the one he poured his heart out over, literally only hours ago, sitting on her couch?

How? How? How?

It couldn't be.

Staring back at her phone, she opened her Facebook app. She quickly moved to a recent search history and tapped the person in question's name.

His old profile stared back at her, but her eyes weren't on him.

She studied the cover photo—the jawline of the kid, the toothy grin.

She shook her head and scrolled down to where she'd seen his face before.

The "Missing Child" tags littered his timeline. And it took just one photo to make all the air in Bella's lungs disappear as she let out the long breath she'd been holding.

Her phone dropped out of her hand, landing with a thud on the floor. She stood, staring at the offending object.

 _It couldn't be._

But it was.

Peter Cullen sat in her living room, engaging in a simple conversation with her daughter.

Peter Cullen … the child Edward Cullen held heavy guilt over …

Peter Cullen … the child Edward Cullen was overcome with sorry about… the person who felt responsible for his disappearance.

Peter Cullen, who Edward was losing hope for, was right here.

In. Her. Living. Room.

Bella gripped the table with her good hand, ignoring the phone. She pulled herself back into a chair, willing herself to fight the nausea waves that roared to life in her stomach.

What was she going to do?

She had to tell him …

Should she call the police …

She had to ...

Truth be told, she didn't know what she needed to do.

She wasn't doing herself any good sitting at the table when there was a boy full of mystery sitting in the next room.

Right now, she needed answers.

And she was going to get them.

"Peter…can you tell me your full name?" She asked, softer and less frantic, heading towards the kitchen with an extra plate. That would be the easiest place to start. She needed to make sure Charlotte understood the severity of the situation, but she didn't want to startle Peter. It would be one thing explaining to Edward that she had his missing nephew in her living room, but an entirely different one if she had to tell him he was here, but she scared him off.

"Mommy, you can't call—" Charlotte attempted again to argue, her mouth full of eggs.

"Charlotte, please do not argue with me. I told you we would talk. This is very important." Bella said softly.

"You're going to send him away! You can't send him back!" Charlotte gasped, spitting out her food before wailing.

"It's okay, Charlotte. We have to tell her." The young boy put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to console her crying.

"Okay, Mommy, but you can't tell his uncle, okay? He might be mad…" Charlotte said softly, nodding as she sniffled. She reached up to brush the back of Peter's head.

Peter stared at the floor, sighing.

Bella dropped to her knees beside the crying girl. She brushed her hair back and wiped away the stray tears.

"I'm not telling him anything until we get a chance to get the entire story from Peter, but Charlotte-" She trailed off, thinking about what the obvious next words would be. She would ask about his parents—parents that, if she hadn't known what Edward told her, should have been worried sick about their child. Were they?

"No, Mom. We can't. They will hurt him. Why can't he just stay here with us?" Charlotte whined.

"Who will hurt him?" Surely, she couldn't be referring to Edward too.

"His parents! That's why he ran away!"

She didn't know that much—Edward didn't go into specific detail. Were his parents physically abusing Peter too? Her heart beat a pang of guilt through her body. If that was the case, her fierce line of questioning might have been worse than she thought.

Bella moved her eyes to Peter. She studied his face, taking in the minor differences from the photo. She focused on his eyes. She'd seen the same shade of green on one other person. And if there weren't any other factual evidence, the eyes would have convinced her on the spot.

"Peter, I am going to need you to tell me everything. Is that all right? I'm not going to…hurt you or call your parents right now…"

"Um…okay." Peter sighed, sitting back against the couch.

"So…Peter…what?" Bella started, looking at him.

"C…Cullen."

Even when she expected it, it made ice run through her veins.

"And…Is Edward your uncle? She tilted her head to show him that she knew. "He's also a friend of ours, and he's been here at the house. If you've been here like Charlotte said, have you seen him, or heard him?" Bella asked.

Peter's eyes grew wide. His breathing halted for a few seconds but gently nodded. He met Bella's eyes as he spoke.

"Please don't tell him…He will be so angry…I don't want him to hate me. I can't have him hating me too…" Tears spilled over the rims of his eyes.

And Bella's heart sank.

"Peter, sweetie…that won't happen. He…he misses you. He really does. He's…confused about everything. He thinks…it's his fault you left home."

"No, he's going to be mad. I had to leave, but when he finds out why I left…"

"And why did you leave?"

"Because Uncle Edward was going to leave me."

"I'm…confused. What do you mean he was going to leave you?" Was there something Edward hadn't told her?

"He was going to leave. For good. I had to go with him."

"Peter…"

Peter shook his head, letting the tears fall.

"Where was he going to go?"

"He was coming here … to Forks. I found a letter at his house. It said a lot of stuff…but I read a lot; I could understand what it was. A letter giving him a job. And jobs aren't like the trips he goes on to help people—those times he always came back."

"Peter…"

"The letter said March…but he never came. I don't know why. But even after he didn't show up, I had to stay away from my parents and the people that come there … I won't go back home."

"Why don't you want to go home?"

"They do things to me to keep me quiet… They make me keep it a secret—I don't want to…" Peter trailed off, the tears no longer flowing. He held up his arm, looking down at the floor.

Bella gasped.

Pale, red, marks lined the inside of his arm. The marks were old and aged, signifying they had been done a while ago. She recognized them as cigarette burns.

"Oh …" She said, lightly reaching out to touch his arm, "Charlotte…you need to go upstairs. Please."

"But Mom—" Charlotte started.

"Charlotte, now. Please. Just go upstairs for a few moments. I need to talk to Peter." Bella said sharply but softly. She willed Charlotte to go with her eyes.

The little girl sighed and headed towards the stairs.

When Bella was sure Charlotte was far enough away, she turned back to Peter.

"Sorry, Peter. I am going to ask you some personal questions, and I didn't think Charlotte needed to be around for them. She can come back down in a few minutes."

"Oh. Okay." He said. He pulled back his arms and put them by his side.

"Do you have any other injuries, Peter? Do you have any that hurt now?"

He shook his head looking down.

"And who gave you those?"

He didn't answer.

"Was it your uncle?"

His head shot up; eyes wide.

"No! Uncle E wouldn't hurt me! He would never hurt me! You know him! He helps people, not hurt them."

"All right, I just had to be sure."

"Uncle E is the only one who cares … It…was my parents, and they let some others ..."

Her blood ran cold.

"Does…your uncle E know?"

Peter shook his head, "No. Nobody does. I was scared…" He trailed off, wrapping his arms around himself. He was shaking.

"We can stop with the questions for right now, but we need to tell your uncle, Peter. We can't keep something like this from him."

He looked up at Bella, with a teary expression, but nodded gently.

This was going to be difficult, but it was for the best.

She knew Peter wasn't going to be up for saying much more. And when he was, it wasn't going to be more than once.

She needed answers.

And so, did Edward.

* * *

She let the children watch movies the rest of the day. Slowly but surely, Peter's features turned up at Charlotte's meager attempts to get him to smile. Bella didn't press any further.

Hours later, a knock sounded throughout the house.

"Bella, what is going on? I got your message…"

Edward looked tired, no doubt from the shift he just worked. His eyes were weary; bags underneath them gave him away though he would try to ignore it. He was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt; his hair was wet from a shower. He must have come right from the hospital.

"Is it your arm or something…?"

"No, it's not my arm. Something happened. Something crazy…but I needed to tell you. This is going to sound absolutely insane. You need to see what I mean before you say anything."

"I'm sorry Bella…you lost me."

"Just please. Don't do anything rash…"

"Jesus, just say it," Edward said, getting annoyed at Bella's antics.

"I only found out a while ago. Today. They were keeping it a secret…I—" She explained.

Edward waited. What was she possibly going to show him? He was confused, and she was frightening him.

"Charlotte…come here. You too…Peter." Bella called.

What. The. Fuck.

Edward's eyes widened at the name. His heart felt as though it stopped. His body was ice. Was this some kind of sick joke? It had to be.

Was Bella fucking insane?

Who in their right mind would throw that back in his face? What in God's name was she thinking?

"Bella, what are you talking about?" He demanded, hearing the footsteps come across the floor. His voice grew louder.

"Is this some kind of sick joke? Your idea of fu—"

He shut his mouth, biting his lip in anger. His breathing was ragged. He saw the corner of Charlotte's head come to the door and didn't want to scare her by yelling.

But it wasn't Charlotte that made him stop in his tracks.

It was the boy with her.

It was Peter.

 **A/N: I can't believe its almost been a year since I joined fanfic! January 22nd was the first day for publishing my first fic (this) and life has changed so much since then! Its awesome to see this story grow! I just booked my flight to Austin for TFMU 2020! Anyone else going?**

 **In the meantime…**

 **My Christmas short story "Oh Reindeer" was nominated for Top Ten Fics Completed in December on TwiFanFictionRecs! Head over to that website to vote once a day until the 31** **st** **of January if you enjoyed it! I'd appreciate it!**

 **I have a FB group called "Mariescullen Fanfiction" where I post teasers, manips, and photos for chapters, and even pictures of my dog. Please feel free to join if you're on that platform.**

 **Happy Reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks to Fran, Mykaela, and Gabby for help with this chapter.**

 **Chapter 18**

Edward's heart was beating quickly in his chest. The anger that had been forming dissolved at the sight in front of him. Time seemed to move in slow motion and each beat punctuated his shortened breath. A dozen thoughts swam through his mind at once, paining the side of his head. As an emergency physician, keeping his cool was one of his strengths, but he was losing it slowly.

Peter.

It couldn't be a sick joke.

It couldn't be Bella, for whatever reason, toying with his vulnerability.

Peter.

Edward's eyes widened at the two children entering the doorway. Bella pulled the door back to give them more space. He knew he should say something to greet Charlotte—he doubted any of this madness was her fault.

Was it Bella's?

Edward shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of the line. His heart was in his stomach. If he wasn't fighting the bile rising to the back of his throat by biting his lip, his jaw would be ajar.

Peter Cullen was standing in front of him.

His nephew…the missing piece.

He bit his lip harder to avoid throwing up.

He raked his eyes over his nephew, taking in the changes since he'd last seen him. Though he was always lanky, Peter appeared very thin. His too-long arms were narrow, swimming in the oversized T-shirt he wore. The board shorts he sported were tied tightly around his waist. His blonde hair was dirty, as though it hadn't been washed in a while and it fell much longer than it ever had. He could tell this despite the wavy hair being shoved back behind his ears. Dark bags took residence on his face—no feature any regular, ten-year-old should have. He searched over his exposed skin, searching for any immediate signs of injury.

Was he all right?

Was he taller?

He met his eyes but couldn't stop himself from shaking his head.

Peter.

So many people had given up hope.

And though he couldn't bear to, Edward clung to a narrow thread of optimism. The kind that one movement of the finger would release, out of his grasp.

Peter brushed his hair behind his ear before gently pushing Charlotte behind him. He stepped forward, never dropping his eyes from his uncle's gaze.

"Uh...Hi, Uncle E."

Edward's heart seemed to crack at that moment. He watched the small boy step forward, towards him. The nickname he gave him when he was only three and couldn't pronounce his uncle's name for the life of him.

How could this be possible?

He fought back the tears.

"Peter?" He said out loud for the first time. His eyes were wide. Edward felt his knees getting weak.

"Ye-yeah. It's me." Peter nodded, moving towards him.

He was sinking.

Peter moved quickly, running towards Edward's legs. His small arms wrapped around his uncle's waist.

The force behind the gentle but desperate hug was enough to keep him afloat.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he pressed his face into Peter's blonde hair. He pulled him to his chest tightly. The crack in his heart seemed to stitch itself together one by one with each breath the young boy took. There were so many questions to be answered, so many emotions to be dealt with.

But he didn't care.

They had time for all that … later.

Right now, the tightness of his uncle's embrace was the only thing he needed as Peter's fear melted away.

* * *

The reality of having his nephew in front of him slowly slipped away. His eyes reddened from the tears that had fallen down his face. This new reality was punitive. The sickening feeling he had felt moments ago when Bella stood at her door, stalling, returned with a force. Did he tempt Karma in some way? Was this cruel reality his punishment? It sickened him to even ask himself the question. He wanted desperately to look over at her, for her smiling face to be enough to convince him against anything his gut was forcefully telling him at that moment.

He couldn't do either.

He felt numb.

"Peter, go outside."

"But…Uncle E…can't we stay here with Bella and Charlotte?" Peter asked, bunching his eyebrow together in confusion. Wasn't his uncle happy he was okay? His uncle's expression was different than how it was a few minutes ago. Solemn, cold.

"No, Peter. Go out to the car." Edward spoke sternly, handing the boy a slim fob from his pocket, "Maybe Charlotte should go upstairs, Bella. You and I need to talk. Now." His words were ice chips.

Charlotte, startled by the coldness in his tone, retreated up the stairs.

What was he supposed to say?

What was she supposed to say?

Bella was wound as tight as a clock. They stood, wading tentatively in a pool of tension. She looked up to find his face, desperate to get a handle on what he was going to say. Edward's head was turned to the side and he fought desperately not to stare into her eyes. His profile was rigid, the tendons in his neck began to protrude, his jaw shook lightly as he bit down on his lip.

Seconds later, the shaking stopped, and he spoke. Venom coated each word thickly.

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly. She moved to approach him.

"I will give you ten seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't call the police."

"What? Edward, what are you…" Bella trailed off, confused.

"Was this all part of some plan? Get to know me? Get all of my secrets?" His voice was loud, but he seemed to keep it moderate. Perhaps because he knew Charlotte was upstairs.

"Edward? Wait a second…" Bella raisedher hands and finally forced herself to look into his stone green eyes. All the emotion she saw in them only moments ago had turned into a hardened glare.

"Tell me how you pulled it off?" He barked.

"Damn it, listen to yourself! You think…I did this? You think I'm responsible for your…" Bella's voice began to rise.

"Then please, tell me the tale of how this all makes any fucking sense. My nephew, the one I told you about…yesterday…was in your house! In your possession! For what…weeks? What do you think it looks like to me, Bella?" Edward argued, no longer paying attention to the tone of his voice.

"Oh my god, are you listening to yourself, you sound absolutely insane! You want a story? Ask him! I had no idea—and I still don't know how he got here. I caught Charlotte trying to sneak him out this morning. I tried to get more out of him—" Her eyes narrowed in shock at his claim. Rough waves crashed in her belly.

"So why didn't you think to…I don't know, call the police?" Edward questioned.

"When I realized who he was—I, we needed to talk to you first. That's what _he_ wanted." She whispered.

"Seriously, Bella. How are you even capable of doing something like caring for Charlotte if you let something like this go on right under your nose? Are you blind?" He snapped.

Bella's eyes went wide at his words. She was dazed, her mouth moving warily to form a response.

He caught himself at the end of the sentence, slamming his mouth shut in realization at the harshness of the words that had slipped out so easily. Fury still slithered through him like a live wire. He didn't want to take this any; further, he couldn't.

Everything was hazy. He was going to go out on a limb and say his initial conclusion was way off the mark. Though irritation continued to prick at him, he couldn't bring himself to mutter any more words that could hurt.

He swallowed back the frustration, bit his lip, and stared at Bella. He glowered as if he was searching for something before turning on his heels and moving quickly through the door. He didn't slam it behind him, but rather let it go with a light click.

If the hurt that flashed in Bella's soft brown eyes after his latest comment wasn't enough to knock the frustration out of him, it was the small boy he ran into as soon as he shut the door behind him.

Peter tried to get to the bottom of the Swan's porch steps before his uncle could catch him.

"I thought I told you to wait in the car, Peter," Edward said softly to the boy, smirking lightly,

"You did."

"So why are you out here?"

"You can't blame this all on Bella! She didn't have anything to do with it, Uncle E., I swear! Charlotte hid me … the playhouse in the backyard …"

"Peter…"

"No! I heard what you said. I know some people say things when they're mad that they don't mean. But you're wrong. Bella is the best mom to Charlotte. Maybe even better than Grandma! You can't say things like that about Bella…I didn't know what it was like to have a mom until I met the Swans, Uncle E." Peter's sentence was punctuated by a quiver of his bottom lip.

His green eyes grew glassy as the tears began to well.

Edward's chest ached as the words he spewed at Bella in his anger repeated themselves in his head.

And the fact that his nephew overheard all of it made it worse.

His reference to Kate stung, and another wave of anger raked through him.

Edward swallowed to keep his temper in check.

Peter turned his head down, reaching his hand up to wipe his face. He slowly got into the passenger seat of his uncle's car. Edward followed suit, sliding into the driver's side. He didn't start the engine. He rested his head against the steering wheel. His head was still spinning. He tried to push everything that wasn't relevant to his nephew out of his head—

Bella, their argument, work.

"Peter…you need to tell me what happened, buddy. We can fix this. We can make things right."

"Are you sure? I can't have Bella hate me … and Charlotte, she's my best fr ..."

"They could never hate you, Peter. Even I know that much."

"I don't think Bella could stay mad at you either, Uncle E. Not even when you're so wrong."

Peter leaned over the console to curl into his uncle's side. Edward welcomed the notion, tucking his arm around the boy.

"We both messed up then, kiddo. Remember what I told you the first time we went to the slopes?" Edward asked, tilting his head, so it was pressed to the top of Peter's ear.

"Always put on deodorant before getting into the snowsuit?" Peter joked.

"No, Peter," Edward laughed and brushed the boy's hair, "though that's important. Remember what I said when you were scared about getting on the lift… _The best view comes_ …"

" _After the hardest climb_ ," Peter sighed and looked up, grinning.

"Yeah, Uncle E., I remember."

 **AN: Sorry for the delay in getting this one out. I had some difficulty. Don't worry, it seems as though Edward has to eat crow, but things are finally starting to sort themselves out…right?**

 **Unfortunatly, it will probably be another ten days before an update. I'm having surgery on Thursday. I'm thrilled about it though because I've been waiting ofr it for a while.**

 **In the meantime,**

 **Check out my facebook group "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, updates, photos, etc. Feel to free to discuss the chapter in my group! I'd love to see what you think!**

 **Check out TwiFanficRecs and be sure to vote for your favorite fics completed in the month of December. My Christmas short story "Oh Reindeer" is nominated. If you enjoyed it, I'd love for you to give it a vote! Voting ends Friday, January 31!**

 **Happy Reading,**

 **Sarah**


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks to Fran for beta'ing at lightning speed. Thanks to Gabby1017 and mykcullen96 for pre-reading.**

 **Chapter 19**

"Peter, hold your arms up a little higher; don't be afraid of the ball." Edward called as the pitching machine fired another ball. He sighed as it clanged against the chain-link fence.

No amount of emergency medical training could have prepared Edward for the events that had transpired over the past week. He had immediately put in for a week of vacation, claiming he had to deal with a family emergency…Technically speaking, he wasn't lying.

He remembered the way his head pounded as his mind ran through a list of medications that could put him out of his misery. But, despite the pain, something great had come out of what had unfolded at the Swan household only days ago.

He watched the boy swinging the metal bat at the ball. The chain-link fence rattled again as he missed.

"This is stupid, Uncle E. I'm not going to get it," Peter complained. He pulled his hat off, fighting the urge to toss it on the ground and stomp on it. The past few weeks had, for lack of a better word, left him frustrated.

He argued with his uncle a lot, something he wasn't used to doing. He'd tried to do it—tell them what happened, why he ran; what made him smash a hole in the front window of his parent's house and head for the hills.

But he couldn't.

And he was angry.

* * *

 _Bella watched through the window as Edward and Peter sat in the car for an unknown amount of time. Bella lost track, but even through her blurry, tear-filled vision, she could see the lights from his car sitting at the end of her driveway. She wasn't sure what they talked about, and she's wasn't sure she wanted to know._

 _She tried to understand the situation from Edward's point of view, she really did. He came to her house expecting to talk with her and instead got completely blindsided by her secret. Her daughter's secret. And at that thought, more tears dripped down her face._

 _Her daughter was upstairs and —when Bella finally had enough guts to go and check on her, the scene made her break down on the spot._

 _Charlotte was in her bed; the covers pulled over her head. Charlotte Swan, seven years old, still can't touch the top of the kitchen counter, had desperately wished herself into a fairytale. However, this wasn't the one. This wasn't the one she dreamed of. The one where her mother was the princess, and she thought she'd get to be one too. And Peter's uncle came and saved her mother from the loneliness that haunted her. But when she saw Peter leave, she understood why her mom would again spend nights crying—in front of the television, with a bottle of shiny liquid._

 _It stopped when Edward came into their lives, and in that short time, she saw a glint in her mother's eyes she'd never seen before; it was something she'd read about in book … in fairytales._

 _She cried because she would look into her mother's eyes, and it would be gone._

 _And she cried because it was her fault._

 _When Bella pulled the covers back, her tears fell harder._

" _I tried, Mommy. I'm sorry, I tried." Charlotte whimpered. Snot covered her face, and her eyes grew redder with every droplet that fell._

" _What are you talking about, Char?" Bella whispered. She pulled the little girl to her chest, running her good hand through her wild hair._

" _I tried, but when Peter leaves through the back door, he comes back. And I've never seen him leave through front door." Charlotte mumbled into her shirt._

" _I tried to save everyone. It was working, Mommy. I saved Peter. He was in the playhouse, he had nothing to eat, and he was cold. I stole pizza from the fridge and fed it to him. I made him sandwiches sometimes so he could stay out there longer. I gave him Grandma's blanket—the one I used to protect me from the monsters at night because he needed it more. He's seen monsters that I can't even think of in my head. I stole Jake's old swimsuit because his pants were ripped_ _."_

" _Charlotte…"_

" _I tried to help you. One you met Peter's uncle; you were so happy. I thought we could just all… be together. Isn't that what family's about? Peter doesn't have that; he only has his uncle. And I have you. And if everyone_ _just_ _is happy, then why can't we be together? I thought I could save it…" Charlotte trailed off. Her gaze burned hotly into the discarded lion she'd thrown against the wall earlier._

" _Charlotte, it's not your fault. Don't you ever blame yourself again, do you hear me? Peter leaving is not your fault. Edward leaving is not your fault. You helped that little boy because that's who you are; an angel." Bella said sternly through the tear she shed. She refused to let Charlotte move an inch._

The boy in her backyard; a boy who snuck in through the back door. Peter Cullen tried to make a home in the yellow playhouse out back. He snuck through the back door, and into their lives. Wasn't it only natural he left their lives through the front?

" _It doesn't matter anyway, he's gone."_

 _She didn't know him well, but one ruffle of his blonde curls, and he'd made a stamp on her heart. And clearly on her daughter's entire being._

 _She'd be damned if she was going to let him go that easily._

" _No, Charlotte. He's coming back."_

" _What? No, he's not. He left with his Edward."_

" _He's not going anywhere, because we're going to go get him_ _."_

 _And she prayed with all the broken pieces of her heart that the silver car still sat at the bottom of the driveway_

* * *

" _What do you want to do Peter?" Edward asked, "I'm at a loss. I'm not sure Bella even wants to speak with me right now. I'm going to have to eat a lot of crow for this one, kiddo."_

" _Ew, that's nasty." Peter complained, "you don't need to share the nasty details of how you're going to make up with Bella."_

 _Edward's eyes went wide._

" _Not sure what you think that means, but I can tell you that you're 115% wrong," Edward responded, making a sour face._

" _What's it mean then?" Peter said through narrowed eyes._

" _Groveling—admitting I was wrong. And apologizing for it."_

" _You? Admit you're wrong?"_

 _Now Peter was the one laughing._

" _All right, all right." Edward said after he let his nephew laugh it out for a moment., "I'm serious. But what do you want to do? Are you hungry? Do you want to sleep? We can go back to my house. I know you said you don't want to talk about it yet, but we have to soon."_

" _Uncle E, I can't do any of those things until we talk to Bella. Charlotte probably thinks I'm gone for good."_

 _Edward knew in his heart this was the thing he had to do first, but the practical part of him, the doctor, was yelling at him to look Peter over. He seemed fine, the past hour they'd been sitting in the car, but he'd been on his own for God knew how long. Peter told him he didn't want to talk about what happened yet. Not until he could tell both Edward and Bella at the same time. Another reason he needed to get this over with soon._

" _Okay, then, let's go," Edward said. He opened his door and got out. Peter followed suit, looking up at his uncle._

" _Really?"_

" _Yes. You're right. We need to do this now." He looked at the house and took a deep breath as they walked up the driveway._

* * *

Bella had nearly dragged Charlotte down the stairs. The small girl struggled to wipe her eyes and keep pace with her mother. They were doing it. They were going to get Peter.

 _Or so she thought._

 _Her mother ripped the door open and stopped dead in her tracks._

 _Edward stood there, eyes wide and fist raised as if he was going to knock. Peter stood behind him, startle crossing his face. And for the first time in his life, Peter saw his uncle speechless. All he could do was stare. After a few seconds, Edward lowered his arm._

" _I-we…were just about to knock," Edward said, looking down at the ground. His tall form was angled slightly, and he tried to avoid Bella's eyes. A hurricane of guilt washed through him—he'd never spoken to any woman that way. If Esme was here, she'd wring his neck with his stethoscope. He saw the redness of her tear-stained face and wanted to throw up. As an emergency room doctor, it took a lot to get to him, but Bella Swan crying was the currently the number one thing that could put him on his knees._

" _Can we come in please, Bella?" Peter asked, slipping past his uncle._

 _Bella stared, still in shock, but nodded meekly._

" _Uh, yeah. Come in."_

 _Peter strolled in, passing by Edward, leaving him almost frozen in the doorway. This was a place where he'd felt at home. He made his way over to Charlotte, who, despite the blotchiness, was wide-eyed and beaming at him._

" _You came back!" Charlotte cried, tossing her small arms around his neck. He met her hug, throwing his arms around her shoulders._

" _We had to," Peter said, turning back to look at his uncle, who had finally defrosted and stepped into the house. Bella shut the door lightly behind him._

" _Why don't you two go play upstairs, Charlotte. I think Edward and I need to talk." Bella said, moving closer to Peter. She used her good arm to pull him against her, giving him a hug._

" _Okay, Mom," Charlotte said. On their way to the stairs, she stopped in front of Edward. Edward's eyed widened again when Charlotte's arms wound around his legs, and she pressed her head against him._

" _I'm glad you're back too."_

* * *

 _Edward and Bella sat on the couch. Though there was no tension in the air, it was quiet. She figured she needed to let him talk. She thought back to the words he spat at her in his fit of rage and took a deep breath. She knew deep down he didn't mean it. The Edward she knew was kind, sweet. He cared about her; she knew that. She tried to put herself in the situation._

" _I don't even know how you're sitting here with me." He said quietly. He put his head down into his hands, "that already tells me how much stronger you are than me."_

" _Edward…" She gently pressed a hand on his shoulder._

" _If I was in your position, I-I don't even know what I'd be doing. Smacking me, hitting me, god—I can't even imagine you want to see me anymore after what I did and said. I can't even think about that." He didn't look at her._

 _Bella stayed quiet. She had a feeling he was going to continue. Edward raised his head from his hands, his eyes were rimmed red. He cupped a hand and kept it under his nose._

 _And despite everything that's happened, Bella's heart sank_.

" _I can't even…process everything that's happened in the past hour, two hours. Literally, it's just so much. And I'm physically sick with myself. I'm an E.R. doctor for crying out loud, it takes a lot to get me worked up to the point where I'm making myself sick. And literally, everything I did earlier, every stupid thing I said, is doing exactly that. And I shouldn't even be talking to you, because I'm probably going to say something to hurt you again like a fucking idiot._

 _The only real thing I should be saying besides groveling and begging on my knees for you to even listen to my apology, is, thank you. For everything you've done—taking him in. He didn't tell me much, but he told me enough. That he's responsible for everything; sneaking into your daughter's playhouse out back. Backed up everything you said … that you just found out about him today. He said you tried to call a number he gave you—my number. I'm guessing that's why you called me twice randomly this afternoon._

 _And then, instead of calling the police and making this a huge ordeal because you didn't want to scare him or make him uncomfortable, you had to bite the bullet and tell me. I can't even_ _imagine that—how the hell do you tell a guy you're seeing that you have the nephew he told you about last night at your house. Or that your daughter has been keeping him fed and clothed under your nose for what, ten days? God, that's almost comical." He chuckled dryly, finding no real humor in the situation._

" _Only for me to blow up like an asshole. No, worse than that. There's not even a word for it." Edward continued._

" _Please, Edward. Yes, you said something terrible, but I don't think you meant it. You were under a lot of stress."_

" _Bella, of course, I didn't mean it. I could never mean something like that…not to you. God, I've never even said anything remotely like that in my life. My mother would kill me. And then to just storm out like…some miserable idiot who couldn't handle the mess he made. I just needed…a moment in my own space. My head felt like it was going to explode." Edward said and his eyes widened. He turned to look Bella directly in the eyes._

" _None of that was true. I know you're the best mother to Charlotte; a blind man could see how much you love her. And not just her, and I know that because of the way you took care of Peter. I want to say sorry, but I'm not sure that's ever going to be enough. And the idea that you could even be involved in something…ugh, I can't even picture it in my mind. I'm sick to my core thinking I could even think a concept like that would be even an inch near the realm of truth."_

He shook his head again, but he didn't lose eye contact. His auburn hair swayed into his eyes as he moved.

 _Bella couldn't stop herself from grabbing the corner of his face with her good hand. She held his face and stared deep into his forest green eyes. And she knew he was telling the truth; she could see it in every small tear that rolled down his face, every spark of his iris. Gently, she pressed his head into the crook of her neck. She ran her hand through his already messy hair. He pressed himself into her, taking deep breaths. Bella could feel the heat coming from his face; tiny droplets stained the corner of her blouse._

 _She pressed her lips gently above his ear._

 _They lost track of time, not realizing how long they sat like that. Bella kept doing rounds of stroking his hair and planting small kisses on different parts of his head. She made her circuit nine times before Edward finally spoke._

" _Can you ever possibly forgive me?" Edward asked, raising his head, He moved until his forehead gently laid against hers._

" _Edward, I already have." She said softly_.

 _His face scrunched closer, his nose brushing gently against hers. His eyes were burning into hers, and he couldn't help himself as he pressed his lips tenderly against hers. And she, of course, couldn't resist him, especially now. She leaned deeply into his kiss. His arms wound around her gently, cautious not to bump her arm. She trailed her lips down to the crook of his neck, peppering kisses to match the beat of his heart. Careful of her arm, he pulled her on top of him as he laid back on the couch. His long legs hung off the side as she snuggled closer._

 _He was lost in her._

 _Their makeup session didn't last long—apparently, they'd already been taking their sweet time. The sound of feet on the stairs registered in her brain by the time they hit the wooden floor._

" _Mommy! What are you guys doing?"_

 _Another pair of footsteps followed as Edward quickly tried to upright them._

" _I think that's called eating crow, Charlotte," Peter said quietly._

* * *

Another baseball zoomed by Peter.

The batting cage in the next town over was Edward's idea of helping Peter get comfortable enough to talk about what happened before he left home. Edward knew Peter was angry—so was he. He knew something had happened in his brother's house; he didn't know to what extent. Peter had never been the confrontational type—but the pressure of the week had gotten to him. Everyone waited for him—apparently, he was the _suffer in the silence type._

Always had been, and probably always would be.

"I'm telling you it's not going to work, Uncle Edward," Peter said coolly. Edward could tell something was under his skin—he never called him by his full name unless he wanted to fight. Edward ripped open the door to the cage, stepping in and shutting it behind him.

"Peter, give me the bat." He said sternly. Peter's eyes went wide. He obliged, frowning as his uncle approached him.

"You want to get angry? Do it here. Get back. See? I'm angry too." As if on cue, a ball launched from the pitching machine and cracked loudly against the bat as Edward swung it. He hit it, but not hard enough for it to fly into the back net of the cage.

"That was for you. I'm angry at you for running away."

Another pitch.

A harder crack.

It didn't hit the net but went further than the first one.

"And that? I'm angry at everyone giving up on you coming home."

Another pitch.

The hardest crack.

It sprang against the net, a loud clang ringing out as it stretched back to the safety fence.

"And that? Most of all, I'm angry at Garrett and Kate for driving you too it."

Edward threw the bat on the ground, "your turn."

Peter's eyes were wide after hearing everything his uncle just confessed. He'd never known that other people in his family had given up on him. So, why hadn't he? He knew Edward was mad at him for running away—he couldn't blame him. But Edward hadn't done anything to show that anger. If anything, he helped Peter in ways he didn't think other people could. He took him to the store to get new clothes the after they stayed at Bella's the night he found out about him. He took him to get a haircut and to get his favorite meal. And he repaid him, how? By getting angry.

And what about Bella? And Charlotte?

Peter picked up the bat

Edward and Peter had made a habit of staying with Bella and Charlotte—mostly for Peter's sake, but he didn't think his uncle was complaining about staying with his girlfriend every night. He felt comfortable knowing everyone was there with him—close, safe. Bella made sure to check on him in the guest room every night, so did his uncle and Charlotte. She made sure the lion was placed firmly in the center of his bed before he climbed in every night. He finally had everything he ever wanted—a family.

"I'm angry." He said flatly, looking back at his uncle.

"At what?" Edward said from behind the fence.

"At them," Peter said, smacking the ball.

"Who's them?"

Another ball.

Another swing.

Another hit.

"My mom and dad."

"Why?"

Another ball.

Another swing.

Another hit.

"Because I hate them."

"Why?"

"Because…"

Peter dropped the bat and dropped to his knees.

The sound of the metal gate behind ripped open.

Another ball.

The feeling of his uncle's arms wrapping around him and pulling him out of the way of the rogue pitch. The way they stayed around him while Peter buried his face into his chest.

The sound of the ball against the fence.

And finally, the soft, but desolate sounds of Peter Cullen shedding tears for the first time since he'd left home.

 **AN:**

 **In the meantime,**

 **Check out my facebook group "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, updates, photos, etc. Feel to free to discuss the chapter in my group! I'd love to see what you think!**

 **Check out TwiFanficRecs for voting for your top ten favorite yearly fics! Vote for your favorites! I've got two stories "Breakable" and "Oh Reindeer" up in that poll! You can vote once a day.**

 **I have another story starting Friday, an entirely almost prewritten. It's called Behind the Screen: Here's a summary and teaser.**

Summary: Edward Cullen isn't the only person to fall into the lovesick trap of the online profile: Kimberly Smith. Meanwhile, Bella Swan, television host and house-flipper, has one too many instances of people mistaking her as someone else. Can her friends Garrett and Benjamin solve this strange Catfish case? MTV's Catfish with a Twilight twist.

Here's a teaser:

"Excuse me-" she started to say. She tried to pull her arm away, but the beefy bicep was strong enough to turn her all the way around.

"Kimberly? Is that you? What are you doing in Seattle?" The man said.

"Um, I'm sorry, I'm not Kimberly. I don't know you. Let go of me, please." Bella said, staring at the man's hand.

"Come on sweetie, don't play dumb with me. Of course, you're Kimberly. Kimberly Smith. Kind of a bitch move to just ghost me out of the blue and then pretend I don't even exist when you see me in public." The man rolled his eyes, and his voice gave a hint of a chip on his shoulder.

He didn't release her arm.

Whoever the hell this Kimberly person was had done a number on him.

 **Happy Reading,**

 **Sarah**


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. Thanks to Gail and Mykaela for pre-reading.**

 **Warning: This chapter contains heavy mention of drug use, child abuse, and implied abuse of various natures.**

 **Chapter 20**

It was after dark when Edward pulled his car into Bella's driveway. Peter had fallen asleep quickly after they left the batting cages. Though there were no words exchanged, he could tell something finally snapped inside of his nephew. He was close to explaining what happened to him—what caused him to leave home. But Edward knew Peter wouldn't want to talk without Bella being able to listen.

He turned the car off and sighed. He looked in the rear-view mirror, staring at the way Peter's, shorter hair had matted messily against the backseat.

He was thankful he was safe, and to be quite honest, he was afraid to hear where Peter had been for the past months. In their search, they'd investigated everywhere, or so it seemed. He looked down at his phone to press the call button. The number he dialed was a familiar one, and he wasn't sure who he wanted to hear on the other line more.

"Edward, how are you?" Esme said, answering the phone. His mother sounded wispy and tired. He imagined lines and bags decorating her face from the months of worrying.

"Uh…, I'm good, Mom. Really good, actually. Listen, do you guys have a moment? There are some things I need to explain. Are Garrett and Kate around? I've been trying to reach them for days...- "

A silence followed Edward's question.

"Um, Edward, your brother had to go away for a…little while. He's gone to Yellowbrick to get some help. He came clean to us about some stuff.

"Yellowbrick…the treatment center? Stuff…like what?"

"Edward, I know you already know. He told us you know—that you were trying to help him, and Kate stay financially stable. He told us you didn't want everyone to know they were in a stitch while they tried to work on themselves for Peter. Oh, my poor boy."

"It wasn't like I had a choice. I couldn't just..."

"I know. And I've known that from the start. Perhaps now, others will come around. Anyway, though it's lovely to hear your voice, it seems like an odd time for you to call, especially after we haven't heard from you in a few days. You used to call your father every day about…Peter." Esme said, trailing off. The sound of movement on the other line caused Edward to frown. With Peter missing, his mother had suffered as much as he did.

'Mom, I'm going to tell you something, but you need to stay calm. I was hoping it would be you who would answer…I think you'll be the first to understand, but you need to listen to everything I'm about to tell you." Edward explained carefully, glancing back into the rearview mirror. Peter was still sound asleep, "It's about Peter."

"Peter? What about him? Oh, God, did he try to contact you? If he would try to get in touch with anyone, I always thought it'd be you since the two of you were always so close. What have you got to say?" Esme answered quickly, stunned.

"He has tried to contact me. That's not all, though…he's here. In Forks. With me." Edward said slowly, keeping his eyes on the boy. His heart fluttered as the words left his mouth. Though his mother and family had bargained for a lot in their bartering with God to bring Peter home, he never expected it to work—whatever was out there, whatever crazy Fate that had brought them back together … he was thankful for it. He knew his mother would be too.

"What? Edward, did you say he's with you?" Esme cried, her voice choking, "How can that be?"

"I…uh...I'm not really sure, Mom. He just showed up. He…ran away and eventually found me out here. I'm…not exactly sure. He's been kind of scared…I've been letting him be for right now—all that matters is he's here. And he's relatively healthy—a few scrapes and bruises." Edward trailed off.

He didn't want to tell his mom the exact truth of how Peter came back into his life as he wanted to leave the Swans out of an investigation if he could. Of course, he cared about them both, more deeply than he thought he would in the short amount of time he's known them, but he didn't want to repay Bella's kindness towards Peter with any unnecessary prying into their life. It was Peter's idea, to skip the whole part about Bella and Charlotte at all. They'd tell them one day, but not now.

"Listen, Mom. Can you guys come down here? It's really important—"

"Us come to you? Why not just bring him home? I haven't seen Kate—but Garrett's on his way to..."

"I think you need to come here. Peter doesn't want to come home. He's said that more than once. And I've been trying to get in contact with Garrett and Kate for the past few days."

"Yes. We will come down. We'll get to the bottom of everything. Edward…can I talk to him?" Esme asked quietly, sniffling into the phone.

"He's sleeping…" Edward trailed off, feeling the guilt coming, "but tell you what. I'll put the phone next to his ear, and you can tell him you love him."

He reached the phone around, pressing it gently to Peter's ear so as not to wake him. He smiled as he heard the quiet muffles from the phone; Esme wishing her newly found grandson sweet whisperings and dreams.

* * *

The next morning, the house was less one person. Charlotte had been picked up earlier in the morning to spend the day with her aunt. One of Peter's conditions to talking was that she not be here. He loved her dearly and didn't want to scare her or want her to think any different of him for what he was about to share with his uncle and her mom.

After a quick breakfast, the boy moved to the chair in the living room. Bella and Edward followed, sitting close together on the loveseat. Their hands were lightly joined behind the pillow in the center of the couch.

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut.

"All right, Peter. I think it's time we have this talk. You said it yesterday, and don't you think we owe Bella and Charlotte an explanation? I thought things were getting better, kid. Your dad..." Edward started, attempting to ease his nephew into the idea of talking.

"No, don't say anything about him. I'll talk, but he's the reason I ran. Well, her…mostly, but he didn't do anything to stop it." Peter said.

"Okay, Peter," Edward said, trailing off and staring at the floor. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear this … or _if_ he could hear this. He knew about Kate and Garrett's drug use…but what else was there? He couldn't even stomach the thought as it attempted to crawl into his mind. "The floor is yours."

"And, remember, you can't get mad at me, Uncle E. The only good thing in my life was moving far away. I had to do it—leaving was the only thing I had left, I had to do it."

"I'm not going to get mad at you, kid...Just say what you need to say."

"Last time I was at your house in the city—I stole something out of your desk." Peter stood up to dig around in the pocket of his new jeans. He'd kept this paper hidden in Charlotte's closet until now.

Edward's eyes quirked in confusion as Peter moved forward and placed a disheveled piece of paper into his uncle's hand.

"I don't follow," Edward replied, staring at the paper, blinking in puzzlement. The ink on the paper was smeared.

"You! You took a stupid job in some town in Pennsylvania. This town, Forks! How could you do that! You were already gone all the time—working, traveling to do your volunteer work, whatever! And then I saw that on your desk and figured it out. But don't worry, I'm not mad at you, I hate Chicago too—I'm never going back there. I'm just glad to be away from _them_."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Peter. You took this…out of my desk? How'd you even know where to find Forks? Why would you try to follow me?" Edward said, eyebrows shooting up. Bella's face matched his confusion.

"I took it because you spent a lotta time looking at it. It said the date. I tried to—I thought you'd be waiting for me! I thought you'd figure it out! You figure everything out…every puzzle we do together, every riddle from Lord of the Rings, how to do every cool trick on the ski trips, I thought you'd figure this one out too! You know me best, Uncle E." Peter said, his voice growing louder and then trembling at the very end. He started to yell, but by the time his breath hit the last word, tears flowed freely from his eyes.

He moved instinctively to his uncle, who, wrapped his arms gently around him. Bella watched, biting the corner of her lip. She swallowed back, not sure what to take from the situation. She laid her good hand on Edward's shoulder and leaned her head against him.

Edward's face still looked shocked by what Peter had said. A million and one questions ran through his head. How could he be the only 'good' thing in his nephew's life? What was going on? Now he was certain he didn't want to hear the rest of the story. Gently, he placed a kiss on Peter's hair.

"Peter, I wasn't here because I stayed behind to look for you. You were gone—the way they found the scene…we thought someone had taken you, that you were hurt. You can't possibly think I'd leave _for a job_ when you _were in danger_."

"You're here _now_ ," Peter said, arching his neck to frown at Edward.

"Yes. Three months later. Three months of grueling searches, holding on to false hope, trying to live normally without a single aspect of normalcy in my life because you were gone. I left to try and find some kind of peace, Pete. If I wasn't ready to leave the windy city behind then, well, those three months did it for me because _you_ weren't there anymore." Edward answered honestly, "but you're right. I'm here now. And so are you." Edward poked Peter's arm lightly. He laughed.

"But…why did you decide to run?" Edward asked when Peter stopped laughing through his light tears, "I have no doubt you knew what was going on…I was tr—"

"I know, trying to help." Peter said, reaching up to wipe his eyes, " I heard _them_ talk about how you were paying the bills and giving them some money. I don't think you were paying for their drugs, though. _She_ would buy it from people that came over to the house. At first, I never saw them actually doing it...they used to... ugh never mind."

Peter dropped his head into his arms.

"No, Peter. You promised. Tell us, please. This is a safe spot, I'm not going to do anything to—" Edward started, raising up his hand.

"It's hard to talk about uncle E! It's scary!" Peter's voice rose, and he stood up. Edward's eyes widened as Bella's hand gripped tightly on Edward's shoulder.

"I know it is, we just need to get to the bottom of what happened. People are going to ask a lot of questions. Grandma and Grandpa are coming—" Edward tried to resolve.

"What? Grandma and Grandpa are coming? Did you call them? Why?" Peter asked, stunned.

"Peter...you were gone for months. They're coming to see you, so are your parents. I can't exactly keep this a secret from them." Edward said calmly.

"Why would you do that!? They're the whole reason I ran in the first place! They're gonna' try to take me back! I can't go back! I can't, Uncle E, please! I can't!" Peter yelled in a way Edward had never heard before. The little boy stared wide-eyed at his equally wide-eyed uncle. They continued the stare down until Peter broke with a cry.

He ran into Bella's surprised arm, throwing himself around her good arm.

"Peter, be careful," Edward warned, watching in shock as Bella adjusted her cast.

"I'm fine, Edward."

The conversation was drowned out with the low mumbles of Peter crying desperately into Bella's shirt.

 _"Please don't let him send me back."_

 _"I can't go back there."_

 _"You don't know what they did."_

Edward continued to stare like a deer in the headlights—what was he supposed to do? Why couldn't he go back? He knew what was going in that house...or at least he thought he did. Suddenly, the worst possible images ran through his head. What _were_ they doing? He couldn't even attempt to think that something like that was going on. Edward watched as the boy clung to Bella, breathing deeply.

"Peter, I know we talked and agreed to keep this a secret, but he needs to know." She said, rubbing her arm up and down his back.

Edward furrowed his brows at Bella, glancing at her in utter confusion.

 _What did she know?_

"Edward, I'm sorry I kept this from you...it wasn't right. I saw it the first day I looked him over, the day I found out about him."

"What in God's name are you talking about?"

"She's talking about these. But don't be mad at her, please. I asked her to not say anything, I told her I wanted to tell you." Peter said, sniffling and raising up the arm of his shirt. He'd been avoiding changing in the same room as his uncle, or anyone, really.

"Peter, why can't you go back there?"

Edward was sick—he'd seen a lot of abuse cases in his professional life, kids coming into the ER covered in bruises. But none of that put his stomach in this throat like his nephew's motions did.

Peter slowly pulled the T-shirt over his head.

Bella shut her eyes, fighting her own tears. She had seen them before, of course, but not to this extent.

Small, angry scars dotted the top part of his chest all the way to his arm.

"This wasn't why I ran, but this is part of why I can't go back, Uncle E. Please," Peter said, looking at the floor.

"Peter…" Edward gasped.

Edward knew what they were the minute Peter had removed his shirt. They varied in size but were similar in the fading, scorched red marks. Circular, oval, square—the shapes of tobacco pipes, cigarettes, and joint-ends.

At that moment, he had two options. Put on his doctor face and try to maintain a calm façade until the blood boiling underneath his skin simmered, or he could unleash the anger. And the people he wanted to unleash it on weren't anywhere close to here. _Not yet._ So, he chose option one.

He reached for Peter's arm and gently pulled him forward, "let me see a little closer." His voice was quiet.

"Why—I don't like looking at them. They're embarrassing and ugly." Peter whined but moved with his uncle anyway.

"Peter, please. Let me look at them for a minute. I'm looking at them as a doctor." Edward said, not acknowledging Peter's whine.

"Did you get these looked at when you got them?" He had to ask, but figured he knew the answer, "how did you take care of them at home?"

Peter shook his head and shrugged, "I just used some of that sunburn gel and put a Band-Aid on to hide them."

"When did you get them? It looks these are on top of older ones." Edward said, gritting his teeth as he ran his fingers over the marks. He looked around Peter's arm and chest for any signs of old injuries.

Again, Peter shrugged, but Edward also saw a slight wince. He knew there would be other injuries uncovered. Burn marks went hand in hand with beatings.

"Well, they're healed. And they healed okay for the most part…" Edward sighed. He picked up Peter's shirt and handed it to him stiffly. He watched Peter pull the shirt over his head before letting some of his anger loose.

"Who?" Edward said blankly. His voice was cold, "Your Dad? Your Mom? One of their friends?"

Peter nodded his head. "All of them, I suppose. Not him, but he never did anything to stop the others...he just let them do it. They would...have people over the house. And if I didn't listen to them and do what they wanted, they'd..."

"Did they ever do anything else to you? Those are cigarette burns, but did they ever try to give you anything? Needles, pills, drinks…anything, Pete. You can tell me. I'm on your side. I'm always on your side." Edward said, looking his nephew in the eye.

Peter shook his head sadly. "They tried, but I was smart. They thought I swallowed them, but I didn't."

"Why don't you tell us what happened?" Edward said quietly seething at the thought of what more he would hear.

Bella put a light hand on Peter's shoulder, and he nodded, once again looking at the floor.

"They would put me in the closet whenever their… _friends_ would come over. They've been doing it for like two years—to keep me out of the way, I guess. She used to say I was a pain in the ass … well, she said more swears, but I can't repeat them. Anyway, they would lock the door from the outside—you know which closet. The hallway one with the board games Grandpa brought us from his house."

"Sometimes I would be in there for hours—they would give me a juice box, some peaches or crackers, and that's it. Sometimes I'd be out in a few minutes, but other times they didn't let me out until the next morning. But, you know I'm not always the best listener, Uncle E. Sometimes, I could get out of the closet with hairpins that _she_ left around. When I got caught out, the people around would push me away and hit me. They acted so weird. _She_ used to put her smoke sticks on my skin if I didn't go back in. _He_ never hit me with anything but didn't stop it. I used to yell for him to come get me, and he did, once, but it stopped after _she_ yelled at him. Uncle E, they said such bad stuff about me, and I didn't do nothin."

"That's not why I ran, though. I ran, because one night, they locked me in, and I was in there for hours. I guess they were out of money, which I guess is my fault because I was stealing from their coffee can stash for weeks, trying to save enough to buy a bus ticket or train ticket to Pittsburgh. I Googled that it was the closest city to Forks."

Edward was about to speak up…he was so hurt, but Peter began to talk again.

"They…they said..."

"What? What did they say?" Edward said coldly. His fists were clenched at his sides as he listened to his nephew's tale.

"They didn't have the money to buy something—I don't remember what it was called, but they were talking about something—anyway, then _she_ said something about letting them spend time with me if she didn't have the money to pay. She said she would let them in the closet with me if they gave her what she wanted. Once she said they could take me with them, but he..Dad..said no, that I was worth more at home. I didn't know what that meant, but I got freaked out. I—nobody ever got the chance to come into the closet, because I ran. I remembered how they acted when they burned me, and I was scared. Uncle E, I had to leave—I had to."

"Peter, why didn't you tell anyone? We could have—I could have…" Edward quavered. The assurance that usually filtered through his voice sunk. His voice was shaky, on the verge of crumbling.

 _She said she would let them come in the closet with me if they gave her what she wanted._

The words circled Edward's brain as if they were a flock of vultures searching for their prey.

 _Sick fucks._

Edward shook his head, moving it from side to side swiftly as he went over different scenarios in his head.

"Uncle E, who could I call to get help? And how? They stopped paying the cell phone bill. They kept _his_ on so we could talk to Grandma and Grandpa so they weren't suspicious and wouldn't come over. You were always busy…I didn't want to bother you. I thought I'd just come with you—see you, and then explain, and you'd understand.

Peter continued the conversation so casually as if Edward wasn't breaking from the inside out with his confession. He was fighting to keep a calm face.

He felt sick to his core.

Bella was the first to move to him. She threw her arm around Peter and pulled him into her side. Tears gently rolled down her face—she couldn't bear to look at Edward. Bella held him for an unknown amount of time until she felt Edward kneel down in front of her. His expression was pained, and his eyes stained red. He put his hands firmly on Peter's shoulders.

"Peter, I will always have time for you, no matter what it is. I see you, and I do understand everything you've told us. You don't ever have to go back. In fact, I'm not going to let you. You're going to be stuck here with me, kid. You'll never be there again, with them, do you hear me, kid? You're safe here."

* * *

Not long after his confessions, Peter asked to be excused. He'd been through a lot in the past while so neither Edward nor Bella raised any questions.

They didn't take the time to discuss what Peter had told them. One look at one another told them they were on the same page—utterly disgusted- on all accounts. Peter wasn't a liar—there was no way in hell he was making this up. He couldn't think about Garrett or Kate or the fact that his family would be in town the following day.

Edward grabbed Bella's chin with his hand and steered her towards him gently. He touched his lips lightly to hers, holding him to her. He needed something positive, happy. And it was something he'd only realized in the past week. He wasn't the type who would be head over heels in love with a woman after only a few weeks, but in the past week, he'd seen sides of Bella he didn't know he was missing. The way she was with Charlotte, the way she was with Peter. It was easy to picture it—a big house, a family dog, and waking up next to her every day, their children squirming around the bed. He had questioned fate and the purpose of things—only to come to one conclusion.

"I know your brain is moving a million miles a minute, but we should focus on the fact that he's safe and in a warm bed," Bella said gently, grabbing his chin to turn him to face her.

"Yes, I know and I'm extremely grateful. But right now, I've shoved that all out of my head. I need to talk to you. I have something to say." Edward said gently.

Bella pulled back, curiosity swam in her eyes as she looked at met his.

"All of this today—everything that's going on with Peter, whatever goes on tomorrow when my family comes, has made me realize something. I'm not good at situations like this—in fact, I've felt so many emotions in the past few days that my head is going to explode. It's just something to think about—why did you and I end up together? Why did Peter end up in your backyard? What are the chances of all of this happening? Why did you have to be the most compassionate person I've ever met in my life?"

"And what have you realized?" Bella smirked. She knew where this was headed. Her heart fluttered as he took her hand.

"Obviously, you know where I'm going with this. And I don't expect you to say it back, but I love you, Bella. And I'm not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the midst of all this chaos, it just did."

Bella was startled yet touched by the sincerity of his words, and she leaned in to kiss him.

 **The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-Child) is dedicated to the prevention of child abuse. Serving the U.S. and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. All calls are confidential.**

 **Addiction is very real. The US National Drug Helpline (1-844- 289-0879) offers 24/7 drug and alcohol help to those struggling with addiction.**

 **AN: This was a heavy chapter to work on so thanks to everyone who helped me out to get things right (Fran, Gail, Myk). I am so amazed this story hit 1K reviews after the last chapter! Thank you so much!**

 **Check out my facebook group "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, updates, photos, etc. Feel to free to discuss the chapter in my group! I'd love to see what you think!**

 **Check out TwiFanficRecs for voting for your top ten favorite yearly fics! Vote for your favorites! I've got two stories "Breakable" and "Oh Reindeer" up in that poll! You can vote once a day.**

 **My story "Breakable" is being P2P on March 31st, 2020! Be sure to grab a PDF if you enjoyed it.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **Sarah**


	21. Chapter 21

**Huge thanks to Fran and Gail for helping me with this one.**

Chapter 21

The rest of the Cullens were quick to make the arrangements to head east once they heard the news. He wasn't sure exactly who was coming, his father's vague, text updates of "we've booked a flight for tomorrow evening" didn't exactly include a checklist of names. Edward was conflicted, to say the least—his family deserved to know the truth about what happened to Peter in his own home, but Edward had no idea about how to tell them, and what their reaction would be.

Staying with Bella and Charlotte for the past week seemed to be their own, perfect little world, away from… _them_ … and he desperately wanted to remain in the bubble they had all created. It was a place where Edward could grow with Bella and where Peter could heal. He desperately hoped his brother wouldn't be making an appearance, even more, so, his wife. He couldn't think of the name Garrett or Kate without his fist clenching and the urge to hit something burning through him. Thinking about everything made him sick to his stomach, and he desperately wanted something to take it out on; maybe another trip to the batting cage wouldn't be a bad idea.

They had transitioned from Bella's house to Edward's, and in the midst of their trek to the large gray house that resided only ten minutes away, Bella made the realization that she'd never _actually_ been to his house, which, when she thought about it, actually seemed crazy. They'd been together so much already it was hard to fathom how they missed something as significant as going to his house. Edward and Peter had gone a few times, but they always came back to Bella's—Peter being comfortable with Charlotte and Bella around, and Edward not wanting his nephew out of his sight. Not that Bella minded, she was content in the way things had gone. She slept next to Edward every night, and Peter slept down the hall, the guest room now turned into a room of his own.

As Edward drove them through another nice neighborhood, he held Bella's good hand closely across the center console as he weaved through the streets. Peter and Charlotte were buckled in the backseat, talking eagerly amongst themselves. Charlotte was excited to see where Edward lived. The Swan's had packed a bag for the next few days, not sure when they were going to escape back to their house, especially with Bella being down a hand and unable to drive. Plus, she wasn't sure when Edward was going to get a minute to escape his family. They were due to arrive on his doorstep later that evening, and the thought of meeting his family in a circumstance such as this one made her shoulders shiver.

She was also curious about what Edward's house was going to be like. Were they going to be entering a bachelor pad? He mentioned it was a fairly large house; he bought it with the intention of staying and was sure it could easily accommodate all of them. She shrugged away the thoughts. She wondered what his style was like…he drove a fairly expensive car and dressed nicely. The crash course he had given her on his family made her think there could be a trust fund somewhere in up his sleeve.

She wasn't shocked when they pulled into the driveway of a two-story gray house with wooden trim. It was contemporary and sleek, with three towering pines hiding the front and shading the big windows. A garage with a wooden face greeted those who drove up the short driveway.

"Oh God, we're totally imposing on your bachelor pad. I don't even want to see your basement. I bet that where the man cave is." Bella laughed as they parked. She took in the beauty of the exterior. It was sharp yet inviting.

'Nah, that's where the dungeon is. If you want to see my batman collection, that's going to be in the bedroom." Edward said, winking. He smiled sheepishly as he helped her out of the car, watching as the kids ran to the front door. Peter punched in the door code, eager to show Charlotte around.

"I'm worried," Bella said, watching the kids disappear.

"Oh please. I have a little bit of taste, but if I didn't, it's a good thing my mom is a…" He trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

"Ooh! I know this one! Interior designer. See, I was paying attention." Bella pointed her finger eagerly as she remembered his mother's occupation. She sighed as he'd succeeded in distracting her.

"See, you don't need to be worried, Bella. They're going to love you." Edward smiled, and after they gathered their things, he gently guided her up the small set of stairs to the front door. He knew the real reason she was worried.

"I hope…" She trailed off, trying to distract herself, staring at the wall.

"I don't even know who's coming, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was all of them. They've been missing Peter. I just don't know if I'll be able to control myself if I see that fucker, Garrett."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea…you don't want to scare Peter. As much as you want to…give him what he deserves…maybe that's something everyone in your family should decide together."

"I'll try, but for the sake of that, I hope Garrett does what he does best and just doesn't show up. That would sure make things a hell of a lot easier on everyone." Edward muttered as they walked.

She needed to distract him.

"Okay…here is a weird question, but since it's just you…why do you have such a big house?" Bella asked blatantly, taking in the foyer. It was spacious, with a simple coffee table with medical magazines and small dish for what looked like spare keys, "do you have a girlfriend and family you've been hiding?" Bella joked.

"Yep. That's it, you got me!" Edward laughed, throwing his keys into the dish. They continued walking. He gave her a light tour of the house, not sure where Peter and Charlotte ended up. Seeing everything only made Bella's question more obvious. It rambled around his head like a pinball, as they made their way upstairs. Why did he need four bedrooms? Why did he need a bigger house? He knew the answer deep down, but would it freak her out if he was honest about it?

Edward Cullen moved to Forks to start over, but he's also moved to _settle_. In truth, he was nearing thirty and was at the point where he wanted to have something for himself, besides his job. He wanted something to come home to.

Once they entered his room, he tossed his small duffle bag onto the floor in front of the dresser. He turned to watch Bella, her eyes glistening with curiosity as she took in the details of the man she was beginning to fall in love with. The polished, golden color of his comforter, the bright colors of the LED light strip coming from a complicated-looking computer set-up in the corner of the large room, the diplomas and degrees framed over the desk. The framed Batman poster that was hung on the far wall.

"So, you weren't lying! You're not even a closet nerd, it's plastered all over your walls." Bella laughed, moving to stare at the poster.

"Sue me. I like to indulge in DC." Edward shrugged, moving closer to wrap his arms around her waist.

"Same. Ben Affleck is nice to look at, especially in high definition." Bella smirked, looking up into his eyes.

He scooped her up, careful to not bump her arm, "nice to look at, huh? Why don't I just leave you two alone then…" Edward said into her ear as he carried her towards the bed.

"No…" she whined. He smiled at her and laid her down on the soft comforter.

"It's actually Christian Bale I would like to be alone with." Bella deadpanned.

"I'm going to Christian BAIL on this situation if you don't kiss me." Edward laughed, scooting closer. He pressed his lips to hers, slowly. She smiled lightly as she kissed him back, wrapping her good arm around his neck, inching closer.

After a few moments, Bella giggled softly and laid her head on Edward's chest. She pulled away as he peppered kissed down the side of her neck. She tried to shut her eyes lightly to contain her laughter as he pulled her closer, his breath tickling her. She grabbed one of the throw pillows, prepared to smack him gently if he didn't behave. She listened for Peter or Charlotte in the hallway.

"Besides, Bella, everyone knows Pattinson is going to be the greatest Batman of this generation," Edward muttered, seriously.

She laughed again, moving the pillow to rest gently under her head. She breathed in his scent, letting waves of calm wash over her as she thought about the next few hours.

"I bought a big house because it gave me another reason to stay," Edward whispered after a momentary silence, he turned over to face her.

"What?" Bella said, confused.

"Your question, earlier. Why I bought a big house when I came here. I mean, I could have gotten something smaller or even an apartment, I don't know. My family, as you'll find out later, I am sure, think it's strange I left Chicago—you know that. I want to stay here, I like the area, I like the environment, I like…the people."

"Well, the people like you too," Bella said, smiling at him.

"I just had an inclination that coming here was going to be for something more…something more than a job. And I think I was right," Edward confessed, smiling at her. As if on cue, a small crash from down the hallway garnered his attention.

"Peter, if you bust the Switch, you're buying us a new one," Edward called, rolling his eyes. He sighed, "We should probably go kick their asses in Mario Kart to show them discipline." He moved to get up, but Bella didn't move.

 _Us_.

The word haunted her mind like a ghost.

She liked it.

Her 'us' never included more than her and Charlotte.

"I think you're right, too," Bella said, smiling.

* * *

Later that evening, the doorbell rang. Edward sighed and got up from the couch, gently brushing his hand over Bella's. This was the moment they had been waiting for all day. Charlotte had gone to spend the evening with her aunt. Bella didn't want to chance seeing something that could have been avoided. She stayed, wrapping Peter under her good arm protectively. He snuggled gently into her side and decided to stay back. He didn't want to think about how overwhelmed he would be if he was standing in the doorway when his uncle opened the door.

And he was glad he wasn't.

Edward peeked through the covered window, halting his movement as he saw who stood outside the door. He stilled as the anger rose in him, a tide coming to shore. The fury throbbed through him like a heartbeat. He fists were stone as he reached to grip the doorknob.

"You are not welcome here." Edward spat, ripping the door open to see his gangly brother standing there. Garrett's shoulder-length hair was tied messily behind his head, and he wore an old hoodie and jeans. Edward only saw red. He wasn't going to move; he knew that much. He could only hope if his parents knew what was going on or had any knowledge of what Peter had gone through, they would join in with his wall of protection. If he knew them at all, they would. Peter was the light of their life, but at the moment, Edward didn't care if he was going to have to the bad guy. Everyone was looming around and starting to come up the stairs from the rental car, so if he was going to hell over this, he was going to do it thoroughly. He expected a bad reaction from his brother, from his sister, but luckily there was no Kate around to make it that much worse on Peter.

Garrett didn't respond, lifting his hands in an attempt to reason with his brother. He raised his eyebrows, a surmise that Edward knew everything that had been going on.

"I'm serious, Garrett. Step through this door, and I will not hesitate to throw you out. And I will do it, right here, in front of everyone. They're all going to find out what you've been doing anyway. " Edward said menacingly.

From around the corner, Bella craned her neck to get a glance at Garrett, but from the sounds of it, she didn't want to be on the other end of their encounter. A chill ran down her spine, remembering back to the night Edward had mistakenly jumped to the wrong conclusion about Peter.

She looked down at the little boy who shuddered when he heard the voice of the _man_.

Garrett didn't respond to Edward's threats. He simply sighed and turned his head when the sound of two car doors slamming shut caught his attention. The clicks on the pavement could be heard in the distance.

"Edward!" exclaimed a warm, soft honey-like voice.

The boys looked back to see two women heading towards them, one moving with more exuberance than the other.

His mother all but ran up the pathway, a small purse on her arm. She raised her arms to move to give her son a hug. Edward slid past his brother to meet his mother's eager hug; her arms were tight and welcoming. Esme Cullen didn't care about what led them here in the heat of the moment, she wouldn't want to hear what circumstances brought Peter to Forks or to his uncle. Instead, she focused on the positives while she could—he was here, everyone was safe. Edward and his family weren't always on the best terms, but his parents stood firm in the middle, not allowing issues to drive any wedges between them. Esme and Carlisle never commented negatively on Edward's, long-lasting hope for Peter. Unlike other members of his family, they accepted that he wasn't ashamed to hold onto hope.

With a slight reluctance, he let go of his mother to face the other figure standing in the shadows of his mother's bright force.

It was an understatement to coin the term 'spoiled brat' when describing his older sister, Alice, the middle child and only girl. She and Edward had never gotten along. If you asked her, it was because he was the youngest and he thought she was spoiled, and she always felt he thought he was always right about everything because he was a 'doctor.' She says he also complains that she never worked hard for anything, not even as a child. If you asked him, he couldn't really give you an answer as to why they don't get along. His description of her is much simpler; that she's a short—a sprite-like creature with jaggedly 'chic,' but to Edward, it's like she 'stuck her head in a sawmill,' cropped black hair with a chip on her shoulder. She blatantly argued with him for the sake of getting on his nerves and often sided with Garrett simply because he wasn't Edward. It irked him endlessly, but he couldn't even imagine she would side with Garrett after everything became known.

"Alice," Edward greeted. He wasn't cold but aimed for a room temperature type of greeting.

"Edward." She said, smiling lightly at him. It had been months since she'd seen her younger brother last; perhaps she could turn over a new leaf for the time she was there. They were here for a good reason, after all.

"Where's Dad and Jasper?" Edward asked, looking back down the driveway at the car.

"They're just sorting something in the car." Alice said, staring down at the ground, "I think—

"Edward! How are you? What are you guys doing on the steps? Garrett, don't you want to see your son? Where is my grandson? I need to see him!" she was cut off by Esme's warm, eager voice.

"Uh…he's back there…with Bella." Edward sighed, "but just…be gentle with him. He's had a rough couple of months, Mom. I know you want to see him…"

Esme looked at him, wide-eyed at his warning, but pursed her lips. She nodded to him and Garrett. He leaned back as his mother moved through the doorway of his house, Alice following steadily behind her.

"Come on, Garrett!" She exclaimed.

Garrett slithered around Edward to go with them but stopped when Edward's hand gripped his shoulder. Edward wished he could dangle him from the wall like the snake he was.

"You stay in the kitchen; you really must be fucking stupid if you think I'm letting you go anywhere near him," Edward warned again.

"Edward, he's my son," Garrett said softly.

They were interrupted by Esme's calls.

"Peter? Pete?" Esme echoed, turning the corner.

"Grandma?" Peter called, jumping up from Bella's lap. His eyes widened, a brilliant smile took over his face, "Grandma Esme!"

He ran to her, throwing himself into her waiting arms. She wrapped him in a hug that would surely crush his bones if it weren't softened by the warm butter of love emulating from the tall, striking woman.

Bella stood from her spot on the sofa and adjusted her hair with her good hand. From the short distance, she admired Edward's mother. The complexion of her cheeks lightly reddened as she crumpled her face against the blonde locks on Peter's head. Her uniquely shaded curls fell loosely over her shoulder, cascading down her side. Her heart fluttered when she recognized the color and bargained this was where Edward had gotten his looks. If Bella was a gambling woman, she'd bet the same green eyes she was so used to getting lost in would be staring at her soon. She'd seen pictures, of course, but she was quickly getting used to the fact that the pictures did none of the Cullen family justice.

Esme stared at her grandson, raising her head and swatted her hand to wipe the tears that had managed to escape her eyes.

"Hi, Aunt Alice! I missed you." Peter said, moving to the small woman next to Esme. Edward's sister stood, frowning. Her lips upturned the moment Peter acknowledged her. She threw her arms around the small boy.

"I missed you too, kid!" Alice laughed lightly, "what? Did you just decide to take a mini-vacation these past few months? Be like your old, Aunt Alice?"

Alice nervously babbled, realizing exactly she had said. Her face tensed tightly, "uh…I'm kidding. Sorry."

Bella couldn't contain her gasp at Alice's choice of words. Why the hell would she say something like that? Maybe she really had no idea…or maybe she was awkward and nervous. The endless ideas ran through Bella's head as she tried to straighten her face. Peter's expression scrunched in confusion as he backed away from his aunt towards Bella.

Alice turned to glare at Bella with cold green eyes.

"Alice! Why would you—ugh! Oh, I…I'm sorry," Esme apologized, turning to glance at Bella curiously. She sniffled slightly, reaching to run another hand through Peter's hair, "I think everyone's emotions are getting the best of them..."

Bella quickly straightened.

"Please, don't let me impose. I'm so glad you guys are here, Mrs. Cullen and…Alice, right?" Bella said lightly, holding up her arm in apology. She smiled lightly at Esme, not wanting to chance her luck looking at Alice.

"Oh, just Esme, please. Mrs. Cullen was my mother-in-law, and God rest her soul, the woman was a wench." Esme said, attempting to lighten the mood.

Bella threw her hand to cover her dropping jaw. Peter, now with a neutral face, laughed at her expense. He then looked up at her and smiled.

"Grandma, Aunt Alice, this is Bella. She's uncle E's girlfriend. And it was her backyard that I—"

"It was in my backyard that Edward found him…it was…well, something of a miracle actually." Bella said, quickly narrating the alternate tale. They weren't quite ready to tell his family what happened fully yet. Bella tried to shoot Peter a subtle look, but he had turned back to his grandmother.

"She helped me—her and her daughter, Charlotte. They helped me find Uncle E." Peter smiled, finding no shame in the tale that led them to where they were today.

"Of course, you're Bella, I should have known it was you just by the way my son talks about you. And Peter! I didn't know you had such a part in this…we will never be able to repay you for your kindness towards my boy." Esme smiled, another round of tears running down her face. She moved to give Bella a gentle hug, careful to not nudge her arm.

"Can I ask what happened?" Esme asked, pulling back.

"Uh…car accident a few weeks ago," Bella said nervously, looking down.

Esme nodded sadly, patting her good shoulder gently.

"Alice, come meet Bella!" Esme changed the subject quickly, turning to grab her daughter by the arm.

In the hallway off the foyer, Edward still stood by the doorway, awaiting his Dad. It seemed they were having trouble retrieving the luggage from the car. Normally, he would try to go out to help, but he couldn't give up the opportunity to be alone with his brother. Garrett stood parallel to him, staring at the floor.

"Peter's told me everything. And I mean everything, Garrett. So, I want the truth, why are you here?" Edward said glaring.

"You want the truth? He's my son. I already told you. I fucked up. And you're the only one that knows. Things got out of hand…I…am trying to get help…but I'm just not sure…" Garrett said, looking back at the boy on the couch. He tried to shoot Peter a small smile.

"He's your son?" Edward said, furrowing his brow in confusion, mockingly. He had to fight hard not to explode with the strident laughter he so desperately wanted to let out. His head shook and he pursed his lips, as if though he was about to enlighten his brother with a new discovery. He clenched his fists tightly, urging himself not to break his brother's jaw.

But it raged on, the mortified expression on Peter's face when he begged to be able to stay in Forks. It flickered through his mind like an old busted light. From this point, seeing Garrett, he decided he didn't care what happened. He was going to speak his mind. If Garrett wanted to give it to him, he could try. Edward might have been several years younger, but Garrett's head barely hit his brother's shoulders, "if I had a son…well, I'd be keen on not locking him in the closet with a can of fruit while I got off on getting high with my wife and my crackhead buddies."

Another flash of glory rushed through Edward when he saw his brother's fists clench.

"You know, big brother, if you needed more money for crack, heroin, meth, whatever it was, I could have hooked you up, you didn't have to…" Edward taunted, venom laced his voice as Garrett realized he wasn't bluffing. He now realized Edward now knew everything.

With an angry growl, Garrett threw the first punch, narrowly cracking his knuckle on Edward's chin. A sense of adrenaline crashed through him as he moved forward to retaliate. His heat of the moment plan had worked. He wanted to fight, he knew he was bigger, and he would win. He wanted to fight for Peter—give Garrett a taste of his own medicine. He was a doctor after all, so who better than to deliver?

In the next room over, Bella was engaged in an easy conversation with Esme. Before she could realize what was going on, Edward had Garrett by the collar, his knuckles white. His arm swung back in a swift motion and catapulted forward until it snapped against Garrett's cheek. It was the noises that made them bolt.

"And the burns on his body, Garrett … what you allowed your friends to do to him … my nephew … while you were right there. And wanting to sell him to …"

Again.

"And trying to give him drugs … You deserve to rot in hell, you bastard."

And again.

Esme's gasp brought the attention of his father and the other, tall blonde male coming through the door. In a hurried motion, they ran to Edward's side, attempting to block him and get his arms behind his back. The two men were successful in ripping him off, pulling him away with the iron still hot. Blood flowed freely out of Garrett's nose and lip and slight markings patterned the reddening knuckles of Edward's hand. Garrett launched his own hand forward, catching Edward's nose. Blood began to lightly seep from one of Edward's nostrils, but it didn't deter him from trying to struggle to return his hit.

Though his father and brother-in-law held him back, they struggled. Edward tried to move towards Garrett, yelling things at him. He spit the blood that had pooled on his lip on the tiled floor.

"How does it feel to be tossed around like a rag doll, you filthy excuse for a…" Edward taunted, trailing off as he flicked his bloody fist at his brother, "Don't think I don't know. Don't think I- "

"Uncle Edward, stop!" Peter begged, running around the corner, stopping to stand behind Carlisle, "that man's not worth it. Stop!" Peter couldn't bring himself to look at the bloodied face of his father, opting instead to keep his waterlogged eyes trained on his seething uncle.

"Edward! What in God's name? What the hell is wrong with you?" Carlisle barked, pressing his arms harder onto Edward's, now slowing hands. He stopped suddenly, taking in Peter's words.

"All right, I'll stop, but not for you. I'll stop for Peter. But if he weren't here…Don't forget my profession, Garrett. I know where to make it hurt. Try it again and I will kill you." Edward spat, wide-eyed at the now grumbling Garrett. He took that moment to turn to his parents and siblings.

"What the hell is wrong with _me_? Why don't we ask him … let's ask Garrett to fill in the blanks?"

 **AN: Sorry for the delay, it was midterm season and it being my first semester of grad school, I had all the anxiety in the world leading up to it, lol.**

 **We are so close to the end! Only a few more chapters and an epi.**

 **I have a Facebook Group! Feel free to join for manips, teasers, etc. "Mariescullen Fanfiction" on Facebook.**

 **I was nominated for Best Newbie Author in the Twilight Fandom Awards! You can vote daily until tomorrow! I'd appreciate a vote!**

 **Stay safe and healthy during this time. Guard your toilet paper.**

 **See you soon,**

 **mariescullen (sarah)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. Thanks to Gabby1017 for helping me with this chapter and twenty-three this past week. The woman is an angel.**

Chapter 22

Carlisle was glaring daggers at his two sons, quickly darting his head between them, seeing which would talk first. His stern expression didn't last long. Edward's question went unanswered while Esme helped Garrett to the kitchen, searching for towels and water to tend to his face. Edward stood, using the back of his hand to stop the gentle flow of blood.

Bella stood behind him, eyes wide, her breathing uneven. She didn't say anything to him as he tried to search her face for the words that were running through her mind. He let his emotions get the better of him. He didn't care what his parents thought, there was a reason he wanted to get away from all of them. But he did care what Bella thought. Would she think he was crazy? An idiot? Would she not want to see him anymore because of his actions? Would she let him see Charlotte? His chest tightened at the thought—he'd become just as attached to Bella's mini-me than he had to Bella. Would there be consequences for the part of him he unleashed here today?

Bella surprised him. Her hand gently raised to touch his cheek, looking where Garrett managed to hit him. She snuck to the kitchen, returning with a piece of paper towel, crumpling into her, tucked into her palm. Moving away from the reddening skin, she pressed it gently to his nose. She lightly applied pressure as his hand lifted to cover hers. Edward looked into her eyes, again trying to find something to douse his burning thoughts. She smiled softly at him, and he visibly calmed.

She understood.

Of course, she would.

Bella loved Peter almost as much as Edward did.

She moved her hand, letting go of his nose once she knew he had a decent enough grip to stop the bleeding. She brushed the tip of her finger over his cheek once more.

"I'm…going to help your mom," Bella said calmly, looking between him and a still seething Carlisle.

Edward nodded, understanding her need. Out of the two of them, Garrett definitely took the brunt of the beating.

"Dad, we should go into the kitchen. Obviously, there are things you need to know. I lost my temper, but it's important you understand why." Edward said, clenching the towel to his nose.

Carlisle glared.

"Understand why you decided to beat your brother to a pulp? What is going on? Garrett is…doing better. He's been attending meetings at the church down the road. He's not like what he was before. Does this have to do with anything from before? The anger trouble? Carlisle said, shaking his head, questioning.

"No, of course, it's not that. Why would you even bring that up? You guys don't know the whole story. I'm not sure how up to speed you are with Garrett and Kate's habits. " Edward said, clenching his fist.

"Yes, we do know about it. He's…a different person now, Edward. You've missed a lot. He's been trying to recover so he would be better in case there was a miracle, and his son would be coming home. Doesn't he have enough to deal with?" Carlisle interrupted sternly.

"It's a lot worse than you think it is, Dad. If we could just talk, you need to hear me out. I don't want to make Peter have to explain this himself. He's already been through so much." Edward answered.

"I'm sure he has…Garrett came to get him, to take him back—" Carlisle started.

"He came to get him?" Edward laughed, causing another repulsive expression from his father.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Edward." Carlisle gasped, looking towards the kitchen door.

"Where did Peter go? I need to see him." Garrett said, holding a makeshift icepack to his face. Bella moved to Edward's side, placing a small hand on his arm. Esme and Alice flanked Garrett.

Edward started forward again, "No. You're not going anywhere near him."

"Edward! Stop this nonsense! The things you were saying…no more, please!" Esme said, gasping in horror at her son's words.

This didn't sit right with the middle sibling. She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion. What words did he say? She'd been in the living room when the fight was going on, not running into it until Peter thought it was his duty to break it up. She figured it was something stupid; growing up, it always was, but the words that came out of Peter's mouth—what she thought she heard, " _He's not worth it, Uncle Edward."_

Seeing Edward fight left a large lump in the center of her throat. She pushed back the resentment she felt towards her brother as her mind tried to take her back to the fateful day almost fifteen years ago that was the cause of her anger.

This wasn't about Edward, though. It was about Peter. It doesn't matter what it was, her bitterness towards her brother melted away when she thought about the little boy.

"Wait, what's going on?" Alice asked sharply. She knew her brother, and something wasn't making sense. The youngest Cullen sibling had always been nutty, neurotic, and angry, but he wasn't letting his guard down with this, "first the fight and now—"

"Seriously, Alice? He threw the first punch…in my own house," Edward started to say, raising his fingers.

"No, that's not what I'm referring to. It doesn't matter…what was it about? You keep alluding to something, damn it, just say it. Clearly…" Alice said, her head swimming. She needed more to make sense of the situation.

Bella turned her head in confusion at Edward's choice of words. What was he referring to? Had something gone down between the Cullen siblings that would explain why she was so temperamental towards her younger brother?

"Where did Peter go?" Jasper interrupted, suddenly looking around for his nephew.

"He went upstairs…I told him to…I wasn't sure what was going on and didn't want him in the middle of it. I grabbed him after he tried to stop you, Edward. After he was yelling that…" Alice trailed off. Her voice slipped into the background as her eyes narrowed, and she spoke her thoughts aloud. She looked around as if she was trying to remember something.

Edward stared at her hard for a moment before shifting his hot eyes to Garrett.

"What I'm alluding too is the fact that Peter ran away from Garrett and Kate with good reason." Edward spat, glaring hard at his older brother.

Garrett returned the glare, but the hardness didn't reach his eyes. The man was about to crack, "Edward, I need to get my son." He said uneasily.

"What do you mean, Edward?" Carlisle said, his brow furrowing at his youngest son's accusation. The tension flooded into the room like a storm. As his question floated into the air, the sound of Peter's squeaky tennis shoes coming down the stairs garnered everyone's attention.

"Garrett?" Carlisle asked, breaking the silence as he turned his head around.

"I'm not going anywhere with _you,"_ Peter said, getting to the bottom step, turning to look at Garrett. His glare was cold—a shiver ran down Edward's spine as he watched.

"Peter…" Carlisle said his name with a burst of joy, taking in his grandson for the first time in months. A light smile crossed his face as he realized he looked fairly healthy dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. For a moment, he visibly calmed glancing at his neat haircut before taking in the exasperated expression on Peter's face shaking his head "what's going on?"

"Uncle Edward's telling the truth. He's not doing anything wrong. He's protecting me because I asked him to…I ran away from those two so I could be here with him." Peter said, breathing heavily as he looked at his grandfather.

"You…ran away to be here? With Edward? How did you even…? He put off coming here because you…" Carlisle's eyes widened, and he pressed a hand to his chest in shock.

"I ran away because I had to! I was scared of _them_ …they were being awful to me! Abusive! First, it was just locking me in the closet to get me out of the way when they would do stuff, but it got worse. A lot worse. I remember being so hungry. So, I tried to find Uncle Edward when he left. He moved away to get away from the city and I wanted to go with him. I figured I would just meet him wherever he was going." Peter cried, explaining the truth.

Edward clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to relive the conversation.

"What did you say, Peter?" Esme said, a malicious tone coming over her voice.

"Them … those two … my mother and father, they…" Peter said. He met his father's somber eyes before letting out a cry. He turned and threw both arms around his uncle's torso, burying his face into his shirt. Bella's brought her arm up to gently run her fingers through his hair. He sobbed quietly.

This wasn't something Peter had ever done before. He was never one to throw fits or tantrums, not even as a small child.

"This. This is why." Edward said, curling his mouth into a sneer, "this is why he is not going anywhere, especially with him." He threw a sharp finger in his older brother's direction.

Garrett was saucer-eyed, staring at Peter's back. He'd been frozen since his son's outburst. His breathing became labored and shallowed. His hands came up to fidget with his hair tie. He tried to swallow but couldn't seem to catch his breath.

"G…Garrett? What…is he talking about? This can't be true..." Esme asked the malicious tone back. She gasped out the question. Her hand lifted gently to her chest.

Garrett didn't respond. He dropped his face into his hands, catching the tips of his hair around his fingers. His wheezing became muffled through his gruff digits. The noises softly turned into sobs. He shook as they wracked through his body.

"God, please tell me…this isn't…Garrett? You need to speak…now." Carlisle said, putting a hand on Esme's shoulder.

He sobbed quietly into his hands, ignoring his father's question. The cold, tough demeanor he walked in with cracked and melted away with each tear that ran down his face.

'Garrett," Edward said coldly. He tugged Peter closer to him, attempting to shield him from whatever was going to come out in the next few moments.

"Y…y..." Garrett muttered through his sobs. He couldn't get the words out but nodded softly into his hands.

"I…don't. I can't…Garrett, what do you mean? You…did this?" Esme said, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Tears started to fall down her face. She stared at him, making no effort to let her tears be hidden. She looked back to Peter, huddled tightly against her other son, causing her to choke on a sob in her throat.

"H…how bad?" Carlisle said, looking down. He focused on loose strands of his wife's hair to maintain his composure.

"How bad? That's what you're going to ask? We'll get into details…but Dad, it's bad. Bad enough that Peter left home, running across the country, and only God knows how, by himself, to find me. There are marks all over his body. I've seen them, I've treated them, I…It doesn't even matter how bad it is. I was a fucking idiot and missed it while I was still there …it was literally right under my nose…it's bad. Very bad." Edward said, his voice broke near the end of his sentence. He bent his knees to drop a soft kiss on the top of Peter's head.

"I didn't…. I didn't lay a hand on him." Garrett whispered through his sobs.

"No, maybe not. But your wife did. And your friends. And you did nothing to stop it. Absolutely nothing You just fucking stood there while they put out their cigarettes on him, while they tried to force him to do…God knows what, while you locked him in a closet because you were too much of a pussy to stand up to your wife or too much of an addict to be competent of what was going on. And that makes you just as guilty as the rest of them. I can't even say everything without getting physically sick. And I work in an ER, Garrett, I've seen some shit. That's saying something. Peter shouldn't witness the look on his grandparent's faces when they find out everything you guys did." Edward said, his voice hard.

"I…didn't even know what was going on most of the time!" Garrett yelled, finally looking up. His hands were shaking, his eyes bloodshot.

"Don't even try to pull that bullshit with me. You didn't know your kid was being used as an ashtray? You even wanted to make money off him by doing …" Edward spat back, seething.

"I was…out of it. All the time. I was on all kinds of shit. All kinds of shit you don't even know about! God, I can't even remember those days, clearly." Garrett responded.

"What?" Esme questioned, her teeth still chattering at the unfolding events, "I thought you said it was just…pills. That's what you're in rehab for."

"It was only pills, at first. Kate started getting into some other shit and…I don't know, I needed it. Addiction controls you—pills weren't strong enough, and then we tried all kinds of other stuff..."

"And you gave it to Peter?" Carlisle swallowed, clenching his fists, "you gave it to your son? Your goddamn son, your…"

"I didn't…Kate and some of her friends thought it would be…they said they would give her…us…more drugs if they got him to do it. Kid never did anything. He used to throw them in the corner of the closet…I never said anything about it."

"You're a fucking saint, aren't you?" Edward snapped. "You probably saved it for yourself."

"Edward…stop. Peter…you need to go upstairs. You don't need to hear any of this. Go play your game or something. We will talk when we get everything sorted out." Carlisle said, looking at his grandson. He assumed his son would have some sort of set up for Peter's entertainment in the house.

Peter jumped back around Edward's arms, turning to face his grandfather. If anything could make Carlisle Cullen stagger, it was the sight of his grandson's bloodshot eyes, red cheeks, and snotty nose staring back at him in fear.

"Peter, please," Carlisle asked again, his voice visibly shaking.

"No! I'm not going back. I can't go back, Grandpa. Grandma, please believe me. I don't want to go back. I want to stay here. Uncle E…please." Peter cried.

Edward shoved his towel into his back pocket. The bleeding had stopped a few moments ago.

"Come upstairs with me, Pete," Edward said, moving towards the stairs.

Peter shot a glance at his grandparents, then his father. He scowled and wiped his tears. On the way past, he felt Bella brush his shoulder. She gave him a small smile. And through the tears, he smiled back.

He followed Edward up the stairs, away from everyone. He wished deeply that Charlotte could be with him. She would know how to handle this situation—she was smart. She would yell at them until they let him stay with his uncle. He came to a stop in one of the bathrooms on the far side of the hallway, across from the guest room Peter nonchalantly claimed as his own when they had been at the house last week.

He watched as Edward tossed the bloody tissue into the toilet and flushed it. He kept his eyes trained on him as he washed his hands thoroughly. After he dried his hands, Edward knelt to retrieve a small face cloth from under the sink, wet it, and held it out to Peter.

"Here, it will feel good on your face. Just dab it around your eyes and nose." Edward instructed carefully. Peter continued to stare at the cloth, frozen solid in bewilderment of what to say. His uncle sighed and knelt down, gently rubbing the cloth over the reddened areas of his cheeks.

"You can talk to me, Pete. I…I'm sorry if I scared you. I didn't mean to lose my temper like that. Listen to me when I say that violence isn't the answer. I made a mistake." Edward said, urging Peter to take the cloth.

He sighed and reached up to take it, continuing to dab at the raw skin.

"You didn't scare me…I wish you'd hit him harder. I'm just mad at him for hitting you. He made you bleed!" Peter said through teary eyes.

"It's all right, kid. I'd do it a hundred times over for you. Plus, maybe it'll give me some edge. Bella mentioned she thought Ben Affleck was better as Batman, so now I've got him to compete with." Edward said, laughing at the end.

The corner of Peter's lips upturned slightly, a smile brewing. He sniffled as he used the cloth to wipe the debris from his nose.

"Uncle E, I don't want to go back with them. I can't. I want to stay here…with you. And Bella. And Charlotte." Peter said quietly, looking up to meet his uncle's eyes.

"Peter…"

"I will miss Grandma and Grandpa, sure. And Uncle Jasper and Aunt Alice, but I can't stay in Illinois. I'll…run away again. I'll keep coming back." Peter said hurriedly, cutting off whatever Edward was going to say. He was scared it was going to be something from a nightmare.

"Peter, calm down. I am telling you right now, I am going to fight tooth and nail to keep you here. So is Bella. Do you really think either one of us wants to tell Charlotte you have to leave?" Edward smiled lightly, putting an arm around Peter's shoulders, "you're not going anywhere, kid. Especially not with him. It's not going to be easy…a lot of tough stuff might come up. It's going to take some time and a lot of work, but if you're willing to put in the effort and the time, then so am I. I want you to stay here with us."

"That's what I want. I'll tell it to anyone—Grandpa, Grandma, _her,_ anyone. You're more of a dad to me than he's _ever_ been." Peter nodded, again hugging his uncle.

Edward's words got caught in his throat at his nephew's proclamation. And he knew then, he would do anything for this little boy. He'd get into a million fights just so Peter wouldn't hurt, he would fight hard to make it possible so he could stay with him, with them. He would make it so they could be a family together. Memories from the past ten years flashed through Edward's mind—teaching Peter how to ski, going to see every superhero movie that came out, endless debates about Lord of the Rings over junk food from the local hot spot diner.

"All right, then that's just how it's going to have to be."

* * *

After Peter got settled, opting to play a video game instead of trying to get some sleep, Edward went down the steps quickly. He came back into the living room absolutely sure of his decision. He knew that Bella would be supportive and not expect anything less. He was in a decent position to do this—financially stable and Peter was happy here. He couldn't find another option that he could live with and he certainly couldn't even imagine sending him back to live with Carlisle and Esme. That would be much too close to Garrett, too close to Kate.

"Everything okay?" Bella asked, seeing him step off the last stair. Edward had a new light in his eyes; Bella could see determination. He nodded softly, taking her hand.

"He's playing a game upstairs," Edward answered quickly.

He noticed the room was now empty.

"Where did everyone go?"

"They're sitting at the dining table. Your brother kind of broke down and started to tell them everything. I guess…seeing Peter like that broke him down. He was a mess. Your mom needed to sit down, your sister wasn't having a good time with it either," Bella said, frowning, "I wanted to wait for you. I didn't think it was right to be sitting there without you."

Edward sighed, stepping closer to Bella. He wrapped his arms carefully around her before kissing her lightly on the nose.

"We can join then in a second. I've heard it all, I don't need to hear it again," Edward said.

She nodded softly in understanding.

"I need to apologize to you. I'm sorry, Bella. That was…not one of my finest moments. I should have…controlled myself better…I just…" Edward trailed off, sighing. He flexed his jaw to stretch out the area where Garrett had managed to hit him.

"Edward, you don't have to apologize. I would have done the same thing. I'm honestly amazed you kept it together as long as you did." Bella answered, honestly.

"I do, and especially with the hints Alice was throwing. Bringing things up that were from a long time ago…There's some stuff you don't know—stuff that's obviously not important to my life now whatsoever, but you deserve to hear it."

"I wondered about that…it seemed like she had a double meaning, but she caught herself. What was it about…if you don't mind me asking…" Bella said quietly?

"It was a long time ago. My family is very obviously not picture perfect like they portray themselves to be."

"I try to do 'the family thing' with them as much as I can. Garrett had his drug problem, Alice is just a piece of work, and I had the anger issues. It led to some challenges when I was a kid. God, I'm surprised she didn't tear into me like she usually does. Alice usually makes it sound like I went and attacked someone on the street. She must be really…concerned about Peter. She…uh…always is. Anyway, it was a stupid situation really—I was fifteen, and some guy, Royce King, was trying to mess with my girlfriend at the time, Heidi. I was a stupid kid with an anger problem, so, of course, I was going to jump in.

We got into a fight, and I shoved him, and he flew back into some bikes. He broke his wrist. It was an accident, albeit a dumb one. My dad freaked out, not wanting to deal with the consequences if anyone found out. They didn't even press charges. My dad bailed me out of the situation though, and told me I had to straighten out—take classes, journal, talk to a counselor, whatever it took. And I did manage to work through it." He shook his head, chuckling without humor.

Edward told her the story, undecidedly flickering his eyes between the floor and her face. He wanted to try to measure her reaction, but it was difficult.

"Does she always try to get under your skin like that? I mean…it was a long time ago…" Bella asked, confused.

"That's just Alice, I guess. She's always been moody…she's dealt with a lot. We fought all the time growing up. But she holds on to that in particular because Royce was a friend of hers…an ex-boyfriend or something. They stopped talking, and being whatever, they were…She tries to throw it in my face whenever she can." Edward sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

"She's held on to Garrett through everything, simply because he's older. I'm not even sure she knows everything about his drug habits. It's never more than words though. And her words don't bother me so much. She's not a terrible person, just…I don't know. She's really good with Peter though…She won't side with Garrett…she can't."

"And Jasper? Did they meet in school?" Bella asked, flashing her eyes down the hallway.

"Uh, no, they actually met…when Alice was in the hospital. She was there recovering, he was visiting a friend. Caught sight of each other in the hallway. Very Hallmark. He's a good guy…he helps her a lot. It used to be a lot worse." Edward smiled. His eyes flickered down the hallway.

He was done talking about Alice.

"We should really…" Edward started, beginning to move towards the dining room.

"Yeah," Bella agreed, following him.

Peter's fate awaited.

* * *

Bella was right—Garrett was a mess. He told Carlisle and Esme through bawls everything he could remember about the past few years—dark, horrible things that made Carlisle look like he wanted to drag his son out into the street. Though he remained calm and collected, taking notes on his cell phone, Esme had to leave the room at one point when they got to discussing what ultimately led to Peter's decision to escape Chicago once and for all.

Alice remained silent, clinging to her husband's arm with a blank stare. Perhaps, something had finally gotten through to her. She listened grimly, trying to look anywhere but at either one of her sibling's eyes.

At the end of Garrett's recollection, the tension had risen to a level where Edward could tear it apart with his hands. He wasn't sure what was going through his brother's mind. It was decided that his brother needed help, indefinitely. He needed to turn himself into the police. He needed to turn Kate in as well.

"Meadowview might have a place for you. I…might be able to pull some strings. Perhaps, someone you know may have the ability also, Edward?" Carlisle asked, turning to his youngest son.

Meadowview was a mental rehabilitation clinic and correctional center near their hometown. While it wasn't jail, Carlisle was confident he could work it out with their lawyer to get Garrett a spot there instead.

"Maybe. I will have to see if anyone at Northwestern can. I've got some numbers." Edward said hesitantly.

"But wait, what happens to Peter?" Garrett said. At that moment, he actually seemed to be concerned about the wellbeing of his son. Perhaps it was the night of raw emotion, "I know he can't stay with me, especially if I have to go away. He's…been through so much shit already because of Kate and I. Dad? Would you and Mom consider…"

"Of course, we would take Peter in the blink of an eye. He is our grandson. However, after what we saw, I'm not sure we're the best place for him." Carlisle said sincerely. He looked at Esme, who nodded through tear-filled vision. He turned to look at Edward and beckoned his head towards him. Edward nodded.

"Garrett, what would you say about Peter…staying here? With me. In Forks." Edward said, staring at his brother from across the table.

Garrett started to open his mouth to argue, but Edward continued.

"He likes it here, Garrett. I can more than financially take care of him. Forks isn't as big as Chicago or Evanston, and growing up away from the city given all he's been through might be good for him. He can play sports, we're closer to the slopes, he loves to ski." Edward said calmly. He was trying his hardest without having to get legal.

Garrett sighed, another round of tears sliding down his face.

"What would that entail?" He asked openly after a moment.

"Well, son, it would probably mean you would have to terminate your paternal rights to Edward. Kate would likely do the same. Our lawyer, Aro Volturi, would probably be able to help us expedite the process…to get a temporary custody order. He would know everything we would officially need to do. But you doing so willingly would better increase your chances for a slot at Meadowview, even with our connections."

"Would I ever get to see him again? That's asking…"

"Going on the fact that he doesn't want to involve himself with you or Kate, I'd say no, not it the near future. That was extremely clear from everything that went on tonight. But in time and with recovery on both ends, he may be open to it one day. Edward, Peter will need to prepare to tell that to a court."

"He understands that." Edward cut in meekly.

Garrett stared at his father, processing everything he just told him. He flashed his eyes to his brother.

"You'll promise to take care of him? Give him a life we couldn't? I…we…owe him that." He asked somberly. Regret filled his tone. His heart ached, but he was convinced it was the right thing to do. He owed his son that; a happy life.

"With my life, Garrett, he will be happy," Edward vowed, nodding firmly.

"Then—"

"Wait, what if we took Peter?" Alice cut in loudly, bug-eyed.

"Alice—what?" Jasper exclaimed, shocked by his wife's outburst. He turned but stopped short when he saw the look on her face. Alice's eyes were bright and eager.

"Think about it—we could take him. We could…finally have our family. Garrett, you could see him; we could all be happy in Chicago. Peter would love to stay with us. We could do it. The shops are doing all right, I've got my trust fund, we could use some of his if he has to." Alice said, smiling wildly.

"He doesn't want that, Alice. Besides, his trust fund is for college and afterward. Peter wants to stay here. I know you want…but Chicago is not that far…we can visit, you can vi—" Edward said, narrowing his eyes at his sister.

"Everything is changing! Garrett will be gone, Lord knows where Kate is, even you're gone, Edward. Peter staying in Chicago will be…better. It'll make all of us happy, it'll make me happy." Alice said, looking at her brother. She stared deep into his eyes, as if she was telling him something in his head.

She had an opportunity, and she was going to fight to take it. She would love to take Peter and help raise him. It was always her wish to become a mom—an opportunity that had been taken from her at a young age. Her mind took her back, years ago—a hospital visit and a test that determined her fate on her dream.

"I know, Alice. I do. But you have to think about Peter? He doesn't want to see Garrett, let alone Kate. He's seen some shit in the city, it may be triggering for him, bad. He's young, it will be difficult enough. He's already adjusted to being here. With me, he wouldn't have to worry about using a trust fund or anything. I know what you want…but just think about his happiness." Edward said, softening his glare.

Alice stared at him, pure fury in her eyes. He would bet she never hated him more than she had at that moment. But Peter's life was bigger than Alice's yearns and desires.

"Alice, he's right. Peter's going to be a lot happier here. He needs to heal away from Illinois. Edward is right, it's not that far of a flight. We can visit…" Jasper said, looking at his wife.

She glared at him, her lip curling into a sneer. It was quiet for a few moments while the gears deliberated in her head.

The room was silent.

Until a huff of laughter came from the upstairs hallway. It was loud enough to be radiating down the steps.

Garrett's eyes widened as he shot a look in the direction of the hallway. It had been quite some time since he heard that sound.

Peter's laugh.

"What is he doing?" Jasper asked, a faint smile ghosted on his face from hearing it.

"Playing some video game. He's been going on about Mario Kart every day since we got it for the Switch." Edward answered, taking his eyes away from Alice. He smiled, thinking back to Peter's antics earlier in the day as he raced against Charlotte. For the first time in a long time, he made memories as a child.

"Alice?" Edward asked, turning his head to look at his sister.

Her eyes were watery, but excitement sparkled through. She was staring up at the ceiling. A stray tear found its way down her cheek as she sniffled, and nodded.

 **AN: We are out of the woods...right? ;)**

 **I have a Facebook Group! Feel free to join for manips, teasers, etc. "Mariescullen Fanfiction" on Facebook.**

 **Stay safe during this time!**

 **Sarah**


	23. Chapter 23

**Big thanks to Gail and Fran for help with this chapter.**

Chapter 23

"All right, Charlotte…you really have to go! I promise you'll be fine! Grandma will get you both after school...come on, your friends are waiting for you." Bella said eagerly. She bent to Charlotte's height, adjusting her backpack straps.

Her family had been quite accepting of everything going on in Bella and Charlotte's lives. While they still kept the fact that Peter had been found in Bella's house to themselves, Bella didn't want to keep their growing happiness and expanding 'family' a secret. Renee was happy for her daughter and even happier for Edward. She didn't ask for details regarding Peter's past but took it upon herself to be as much of a grandma to him as she could. One look at his green eyes and crooked smile made yet another Swan woman putty in his hands.

Rosalie and Emmett weren't much different. Jake was excited to have someone new in his life to hang out with. Bella's sister had demanded every detail, wanting to make sure she could be comfortable with Peter and making sure he was okay to be around her own son.

 _Charlotte had thrown her family members into quite a tizzy when she announced she announced she was getting a new brother._

 _"A new brother?" Rosalie asked, her eyebrows rising to the top of her forehead._

 _"Not what you think, Rose. Charlotte just gets along great with Edward's nephew. She's quite attached to him, really." Bella explained, sighing internally when Rosalie's brows resumed their normal placement._

Today, her daughter was starting second grade at Forks Elementary. Teachers stood, enthusiastically welcoming the students back for another year. Bella kept her eyes peeled for Jessica, who should be somewhere around the building. They never had much contact after her little 'incident' with Charlotte.

As their moms waved and walked back to their cars, Bella looked up to glance at the few second graders standing by the corner of the door. Some of their eyes were glued on Charlotte, probably waiting to catch up with her on all the things they did over the summer. But Bella would be lying if she didn't catch one or two of Charlotte's friends staring with googly eyes at the other member of their farewell party.

"You'll be right across the basketball court, right, Peter?" Charlotte said, frowning as she glanced up at him for confirmation.

As the summer heat faded into an autumn breeze, the leaves changed. And so did Peter. He'd grown a few inches throughout the past few months, looking healthier every day. He stood only a few inches shy of Bella's short stature. He'd let his hair grow during the summer, so it flowed freely down to his ears, shining brightly against his lightly tanned skin acquired from being at the batting cages with his uncle as often as he could. Once he'd found out Forks Middle School had a team, he was determined to earn a spot. Edward, of course, was over the moon to help him achieve this goal.

Forks North Elementary and Forks Junior High were located across the parking lot from each other. Convenient for early morning drop off, and hopefully, for Charlotte if she got anxious with Peter being away.

Charlotte hadn't done well over the summer when Edward and Peter had to travel back and forth between Chicago. Despite it only being for a few days at a time, Bella could sympathize with her daughter.

 _After the Cullens left Forks the day after their arrival, things seemed to move into motion quickly. The family attorney, Aro Volturi, had been contacted and briefed about everything that had occurred. Bella was sure Carlisle and Edward were paying him well to do everything he could to expedite the situation as much as possible. It was a big responsibility, but the look in Edward's eye when he did anything regarding Peter's case reminded her it was going to be worth it._

 _Garrett's decision to give up Peter was one to give him a chance at happiness. It was the best thing he could have done. It was the one thing Peter needed to be able to recover from what once was. Edward and Carlisle hoped Garrett's participation and cooperation could get him a spot at Meadowview Recovery Center. They worked hard to utilize their colleagues and friends in the medical field to make it happen._

 _It was difficult when Peter and Edward were gone. The idea of just the two of them, sitting and watching a movie together like it was before the boys came into their lives, was strange. But she loved it. They had never made any official plans to move in together, it just sort of happened. No matter where they stayed, they were always together. For the most part, they stayed at Edward's house, with many thanks to the game room he had. The kids seemed to be happy to enjoy their time together, playing video games and laughing freely in the remaining days of the summer vacation._

 _When they were gone, a part of their_ family _felt incomplete._

 _And at the end of the summer, they were finally complete._

 _The final case proceeding was long and dragged out for weeks._

 _Alice had stuck to her word, never bringing up another idea of Jasper and her taking him instead of Edward. In fact, they even stood up to say that they truly believed Peter would be happy with his uncle. On the last day, from the front of the court, she smiled deeply at Peter and flashed a light grin to Charlotte. Alice had been nearly as taken by Charlotte as she was with Peter. It was just another validation that Peter would be better off in Forks._

 _The next part was difficult for everyone within hearing distance: Peter's testimony._

 _He was nervous but remained headstrong as he took a seat on the witness stand._

 _There wasn't a dry eye in the room when the young boy spoke about his journey, about what lead him to make the decision to leave._

 _"What was your experience like?" Aro asked the boy, sympathy swimming heavily in his eyes. The Cullen family were friends of his, and he'd met Peter in passing more than once. It wasn't easy for him to narrow in on this type of questioning, but he needed to make the family-court judge see justice. He agreed with Carlisle Cullen and Edward Cullen that the latter was in the best place to take custody of Peter, given the urgent but exceptional details of the case, "And your journey…can you tell me about that? How did you know what to do…where to go?"_

 _"I…tried to make it so they wouldn't look for me. My…mom and dad…they used to watch a lot of news on TV, and sometimes I used to…listen to it when I was in the closet. That's where I got the idea…to make it look like a stranger took me. I threw my bike through the window, and I cut myself…it bled some, but it wasn't that bad." Peter said sighing. He was embarrassed to admit the truth in front of everyone, even more so than he had been when they all found out the first time. He was ashamed of his actions but was desperate to get to his uncle._

 _"I…didn't do much during the day. I made it to Chicago…they have free food shelters; a really nice lady on the sidewalk told me about it. Sometimes I went to the library or the park to get out of the cold. I tried to hide out behind restaurants or in the bathrooms. I saw on TV once that people could find scraps of food there. It was easier at night—nobody could see me."_

 _"There was a bus to Pittsburgh, the closest city to Forks, leaving from the Chicago bus station…the one that sounds like a dog. I…uh…took a ticket out of someone's pocket. It was easy. And it was a bus that boarded late at night…I snuck on, standing really close to someone else. I think the driver thought I was with that person. He never even checked my ticket." Peter said, frowning as he admitted to his thievery, "I didn't want to steal a ticket…but I didn't have enough money. I took some from a coffee can stash my parents had…but it wasn't enough. I used some of that money to buy some snacks for the road."_

 _"I got to Forks with a taxi. I…told them the truth. I was going to see my uncle. I was able to pay them because I saved some of the money. After that…I tried to hide out around Forks…lots of places. It was a long time…sheds, parks, libraries. The libraries were my favorite places…I just hid until it was closed and then I could find some books to read. Nobody ever saw me…until I found a playhouse in the backyard of Bella's house._

 _"And you mean Isabella Swan, the girlfriend of your uncle, Edward Cullen? Did you know this when you took shelter in her back yard?"_

 _"Yeah, that's her. No…I didn't know who she was, but her house was pretty. I didn't know if my uncle was even coming. He was supposed to be there three months ago…the reason I had to stay hidden for so long was because I couldn't find him. I watched the hospital a lot…he never showed up. He told me that was because he stayed behind in Chicago to help find me, which makes me feel dumb. Of course, Uncle E would stay back to find me." Peter said, sighing and trying to avoid the stare of the uncle in question._

 _"And did you stay in Ms. Swan's yard long?"_

 _"Not too long. She didn't know I was there until…she caught me one day. Well, her daughter found me. She…Charlotte tried to help me by sneaking me food. Bella found out…she was, well, panicked. I'm surprised she didn't faint, but it's a good thing she didn't because she would have hurt her arm even worse and I wouldn't have wanted that. She's so kind to me…But after she found out, she asked me if I was okay, checked me over because she works with Uncle E at the hospital. She was going to call the police, but we convinced her to wait a few hours. It turns out she knew my Uncle pretty well…he came over that night and found me." Peter explained, as truthfully as he could. He left out some details, not wanting to get Charlotte in any trouble._

 _"Okay…and why don't you tell us about your injuries…why you ran away?" Aro questioned._

 _"She…my mother…burned my skin with her cigarette because she said I was being a brat and not listening. Dad never physically hurt me, but he never did anything to stop her. It was like she just controlled everything he did."_

 _The details came out one by one as the court case continued._

 _Though Edward had heard it several times by that point, it never got easier to listen to Peter talk about his journey to find him. He'd slept in youth homeless shelters, had stolen things from gas stations, and even managed to sneak a Greyhound ticket to Pennsylvania from someone's pocket. Peter was desperate to get across the country to a safe haven. And Edward wanted to run to the stand, grab the young boy in his arms and shield him away from the rest of the world._

 _They knew they had a strong case after Peter's testimony, Garrett's honesty, and especially after the tearful testimony of his uncle. Given the strange and unusual details, they allowed Edward to testify as a medical doctor when going over the evidence—photographs he and Bella had snapped of Peter's aging wounds. He presented them, answering initial questions for Aro, on how old the wounds were, how he could have gotten them, and how he assessed them in the beginning._

 _"You're currently employed as a medical doctor at Forks Regional Hospital, correct?"_

 _"I am."_

 _"In the Emergency department?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"And you received your medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania?" Aro asked calmly._

 _"Yes."_

 _"With the confirmation of your credentials…can you assess and give me your professional opinion on the injuries in the following photograph? Can you explain to me your observations upon seeing them for the first time?"_

 _Edward bit his lip, squinted, and nodded before looking back at Aro's evidence display screen. He hated reliving this but knew it was for the best. He saw a zoomed-in photo of Peter's body, the bruises and burns more evident due to the lighting of the room and explained the best he could, trying to stop himself from jumping off the stand and giving Garrett another beating in front of the court. It was a lot harder to restrain himself when the evidence was there with Peter sitting right in front of them with Esme._

 _"There were several layers of small, round marks, somewhere between five millimeters and ten with second-degree scarring that was slightly aged—maybe a few months, by the looks of them and the hyperpigmentation of the skin. From my experience, I first identified them as cigarette burns." Edward said, staring at the screen._

 _"And in your medical opinion, how would one, in this case, a child, obtain these kinds of burns?"_

 _"Well…they're second degree, so the patient's skin would have to make contact with the lit end of a cigarette or lit object—a joint, a cigar, things of that nature. It would have to be…held there for…maybe five to ten seconds, I'd say depending on the…method." Edward answered truthfully, trying not to think about the child in the photo._

 _"And your observations matched the story of the child in question?"_

 _"Yes. He told me what had occurred, and I confirmed it by checking the wounds over. I treated them as best I could at the time."_

 _"And he admitted to you and Ms. Isabella Swan that he had obtained these marks during his time staying with Mr. Garrett Cullen and Ms. Kate Denali?"_

 _"That's correct."_

 _A crucial missing piece to the case was the presence of Kate Denali. The woman was an enigma. Ever since Peter's vanishing act, she had all but disappeared from Garrett's life. Apparently, his desire to get clean and maximize the benefits of potential help was an unattractive quality._

 _Kate wasn't a kind person. The Cullen family was only accepting of her because of the amount of time she spent with their son, and of course, they weren't going to deny Peter's mother a place among the family. She was controlling and manipulative, and undoubtedly the source of Garrett's problems._

 _They'd been together since high school, and she'd run over him, steamrolling his life ever since. He never went against it due to his addiction and heavy depression. Kate fed on him as if she were a leech. She was unpredictable and crazy if something didn't go her way. Nobody understood why Garrett stayed with her, but the questions faded when Peter was born._

 _Her disappearing act, Peter's testimony, and Garrett's cooperation deemed Kate to be an unfit parent and an obvious danger. While they didn't know where she was, the state of Illinois was going to do their best to find her and bring her to justice. Once they got comfortable back in Pennsylvania, Edward decided he would pursue a protection and restraining order against her._

 _He wouldn't put anything past his crazy, ex-sister-in-law._

 _"And Peter, you feel as if though you would be happy with your uncle? In Pennsylvania?" The judge asked him._

 _The boy, dressed in an ironed pair of slacks and a button-down shirt, looked up to meet the woman's warm gaze._

 _He nodded._

 _"Yes. That is where I would be happy." Peter said, smiling. He looked over his shoulder, tossing his uncle an enthusiastic smile._

 _It had been an adjustment, everyone fussing over him for the past few months. It wasn't something he was used to, but he told the truth. His uncle's dedication to making him happy, doing what he could to accelerate the process and protect him while doing so, made him feel something he'd been missing. He would be happy with his Uncle Edward; he would be in the presence of a real dad; someone who could look after him, take him to the baseball field when he needed to practice, someone he could talk to._

 _It pained him sometimes, to relive the past, to expose himself to a roomful of strangers that decided not only his fate but where he would eventually live. Throughout the whole thing, his uncle was by his side. Every appointment with Aro, every appointment with the social workers, every plane ride, every greasy fast-food burger rushing through the streets of Chicago because they were running late. Through the testimony, he looked up to meet the other pair of green eyes that had grown so much more important to him._

 _When he ran away, he had a plan for the future, a future with his uncle. And he had to fight for it._

 _Everything was worth it if it meant he got to stay with Uncle E._

 _A few hours later, with the bang of a gavel, Peter got his wish._

 _It didn't take them long to come to the decision to grant Edward permanent custody of Peter. The gasp that erupted from Peter's mouth when he heard the judge speak for the final time, the rush he got beneath his feet as he ran to throw himself into his uncle's waiting arms. It was a moment, frozen in time, something the young Cullen had wished for in the darkness—a chance to find the light._

 _And their family was there, of course, but he clung to Edward's side, his eyes becoming blurred from the tears running down his face. His cheeks hurt from the large grin that formed over his face._

"I think so…if Uncle E made it to the admissions office on time." Peter teased, reaching down to tug one of Charlotte's braids.

"Oh, Lord, don't even joke about that. He said he was leaving the hospital about an hour ago to head over to get you registered. We should probably head over there to make sure he didn't keel over in the parking lot, Pete." Bella laughed lightly.

She wasn't exactly kidding, though. Edward had been pulling overnights shifts for the last week, leaving Bella on kid duty. She'd gotten her cast removed a few weeks ago, but she hadn't gone back to work yet. Since it was an important day for Peter, he couldn't just go home and catch up on sleep like he normally would.

"He's fine…probably," Peter said, smirking at Bella. She scoffed at him before turning back to Charlotte.

"Are you ready? Your friends are staring at Peter like he's the new Justin Bieber." Bella said to her daughter, putting a hand on her hip.

Charlotte sighed, "I guess."

With a kiss on her head and a quick hug from Peter, Charlotte flittered towards her friends, her brown braids catching the wind behind her head.

After a glance at her watch, Bella and Peter hurried back to her car. She was thankful their destination was just across the lot. She sighed to herself when she pulled into a spot next to a sleek, dark gray car. She bit her lip and tried desperately to avoid eye contact with the man leaning against it…his arms crossed, dressed in a light jacket and jeans.

"Skipping school, Swan?" Edward asked, straightening up and removing his sunglasses as they exited the car. He looked tired but outstanding none the less.

"Wow, you made it." Peter said, smiling teasingly at his uncle, "Bella and I had five bucks on which way you would be passed out in the parking lot."

"Yeah, maybe you better save your money for the next time you want a video game." He shot back, moving forward to ruffle Peter's hair. He caught Bella around the waist in a hug before placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Hi."

"Hi," she said back, staring into his tired eyes.

"Okay, not here." Peter said, pulling his backpack from the truck, "did you get me registered, Uncle E? I can't take Home Ec as my one elective. All the girls take that class."

"Oh, dang it, I thought you said you wanted to take that class!" Edward feigned innocence as he pulled away from Bella and rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you're all registered. Lucky for you, I don't pick your classes, you do." He answered honestly, looking his nephew up and down, "you ready, Pete?"

Peter tightened the strap of his bag and bit his lip, nervously, "I think so."

"You'll do great, kid. And we can go to the cage right after school. Just stop by the front office, and they'll show you to your homeroom." Edward promised.

Peter nodded excitedly. He closed the distance between him and his uncle, wrapping an arm around his torso, "Thanks, Uncle Edward."

"Yeah, yeah, now go before you're late." Edward teased, patting his back.

Peter pulled away and flashed him a smile. He began to move away from them but turned back in an instant. He ran to stand in front of Bella, throwing his arms around her. She was startled by his sudden movement, but a smile grew on her lips as she hugged him back.

"Thank you, Bella."

The dice rolled loudly on the board, falling short in their drop from Edward's hand. He huffed a groan, staring at the snake eyes, ignoring the snickers of everyone around him. He shot a look at Bella, who bit her lip in an attempt to hide her urge to laugh harder.

"You rolled a two! That means you have to get another trivia card!" Charlotte yelled, pulling a card out from the neatly stacked deck and bringing it to her face. The laughter died down as Bella moved closer to Charlotte to help her read the card.

"Uncle E, I thought you were smart." Peter teased, looking up at his uncle, who sat cross-legged next to him on the floor. Edward scoffed and looked at the number of tokens Peter had won from answering his questions correctly.

"Oh please, this is a kid's game. My mind is like a steel trap." Edward said confidently.

"Okay, be quiet you two! Edward, what age did Edward…the sixth…thanks, Mom... become King?" Charlotte read carefully from the card.

"Uh."

They tried to hide their giggles again as Edward struggled with the difficult history trivia.

"Twenty." He finally guessed, throwing his hands up in an exasperated sigh. That was not the correct answer, that much he knew. And they were going to let him have it.

"No, it was nine. Sorry, Edward, you have to stay in the space you're on." Charlotte said, laughing.

"A steel trap? Yeah, the one grandpa left outside in the yard to catch those groundhogs and it rusted shut 'cause of the rain." Peter deadpanned.

Bella chose the wrong moment to take a sip from her drink. She choked on her laugh, spitting water all over the floor. Edward shot her a dirty look before uncrossing his legs.

"All right, since you all want to be so mean, I'm going to take this popcorn and eat it in the kitchen by myself." He said jokingly, standing to grab the bowl of snacks. They were low and desperately in need of a refill, "anyone need anything while I'm there?"

"Maybe a napk—" Bella was cut off by the sharp chime of the doorbell. As soon as the noise ended, the furious knocking began. Strange, as it was late on a Friday night. Who would be there at this hour? It couldn't be the delivery man, as they'd stayed in for dinner. In the past few months, Edward and Bella had made it a habit to spend time at both of their houses. It still felt strange opening Edward's door for him. Was he expecting someone?

Edward came back into the room, setting the now full bowl of popcorn down in front of the children. By the confused grimace on his face, Bella could tell he was just as confused as she was.

He met her eyes, cautioning her to stay behind them as he opened the door.

Bella pressed her hand gently into Edward's back as he stuck his head out to look around the walkway. He didn't think there were any kids in the neighborhood that took part in the old-time classic of ding-dong ditching.

"I'm not sure…I didn't think there were many kids around here…" Edward said, continuing to look around before stopping dead in his tracks.

Tucked neatly under the corner of the welcome mat was a torn piece of notebook paper. Confused, Edward bent down to grab it. Bella's eyebrows furrowed together.

"What is that?" she asked, eyes wide. "Did someone put that there?"

"Uh…I'm not sure," Edward said. He gripped the note in his hand, throwing one more curious look into the front yard and driveway before stepping back to shut and lock the door.

"What does it say?" Bella asked, tossing a look back over her shoulder in the direction of Peter and Charlotte. She could hear their laughs as they no doubt were looking at some of the next trivia cards.

Edward sighed, meeting her eyes before glancing down at the note. He unraveled it, opening it up.

The words were scrawled messily onto the paper in an uneven line.

 _He's mine._

 **AN: *hides* guess those woods were bigger than we thought...Don't worry, we've got a few more chaps and an epi.**

 **Also, to address some guest reviews -if you're going to nitpick the grammar in this, I appreciate it, truly. However, I'd ask that you do it in a PM so I can fix it. No need to hide behind a GR for any reason. I am always up to discuss things, whether you think something was placed to "cause drama" or if there's a comma where it doesn't need to be. Not pointing fingers, just addressing it as a whole. I'm not going to threaten to turn of anon reviews or anything.**

 **Feel free to join my Facebook group "Mariescullen Fanfiction" for teasers, etc.**

 **Also, I was so excited to see this story just passed the 1K mark for follows. Thank you! That's NUTS!**

 **Happy Reading,**

 **Sarah**


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks to Heather, Mykaela, and Gail for pre-reading. Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. And thank you to my readers who have stuck by my side through some real life stuff!**

Boy in the Backyard

Chapter 24

Edward sat, staring down at his phone. He'd attempted to play some stupid word game on the device to distract his mind while he stretched his legs in the stiff, leather chair of the waiting room. There was a woman across the room, staring at him. Edward felt the heat rising in his cheeks from her stare. The prodding sensation in his shoulders wouldn't let him forget, despite his eagerness to get lost in the world of simple electronics.

Of course, he'd dealt with women staring at him from time to time, but this wasn't the place for it. He was here for Peter, patiently waiting for him to finish his session with his therapist. This had been a requirement for him staying in Forks, though, it wasn't much of one. Peter didn't fight with anyone's decision; he would have done whatever it took to stay. And Edward was an advocate for mental health being just as important as physical. Peter took it like a champ, going and attending every session. Edward didn't ask or pry; he felt it wasn't really his place unless Peter asked that of him. He knew his nephew wanted to fight his own battles.

The woman in the chair across from him laughed lightly and nonchalantly bent down to pick something up from the floor. Out of the corner of his eye, Edward could see her adjusting her blouse. The sensation in his shoulders grew, spreading down to his arms. She definitely had her eyes on him, and he wished the chair would swallow him whole.

He desperately wanted Bella to be next to him.

Thinking of his girlfriend caused a new sensation—something lighter, airy, and freeing. Butterflies around his heart was probably how Charlotte would describe it. Picturing the little girl saying it caused Edward to smile to himself.

He was the type to fall fast and hard. He always had been. He wasn't offended when Bella didn't say the words back to him, but he hoped she would say it in her own time. Their dynamic was something unusual, but he wouldn't want anything different. After only a few months, they acted like their family situation was something that had always been. He loved Charlotte as much as he loved Bella.

A shudder ran through his body, halting his reminiscing. Even though the events of the past few days hadn't been great, he was trying to keep an optimistic attitude, though he wasn't quite sure the outcome would be positive.

He flashed back to a few nights before, when their perfect family night was interrupted by something he couldn't fathom even in his worst nightmare. Would she actually try it? Would she just show up out of the blue, unannounced? What was her goal? If it was to take Peter, she'd have to be downright stupid if she thought there was any way in hell she'd have a chance at winning Peter back in a court system or over Edward's dead body.

 _"Who do you think it was?" Bella asked, staring at Edward as they got ready for bed. She slid softly under the covers. She waited as he pulled off his shirt, discarded it on the floor next to the bed, and slid in beside her._

 _"I think we both know the answer to that already." Who else would it be? Who was the one person who didn't bother to show up to a court date regarding the custody of her son?_

 _"You don't think she'd really come here, do you? She doesn't even have your address…" Bella said, turning over to talk to him. She lowered the sound of her voice, knowing Peter and Charlotte's bedrooms weren't that great of a distance away. They decided to keep them in the dark on the subject, but she wouldn't put it past her nosy offspring to be curious._

 _"No, she doesn't have my address or yours. The police are still looking for her in Illinois. It was probably wise of her to run, but why come here? This isn't exactly the place she's going to have success._

 _"Do you think she's going to try something? She can't, can she? Does he have a protective order against her? That was an option, right?"_

 _"Yes, there is one in place... I filed his since he's a minor. It was for the better, Kate's unpredictable. With that being said, I'm not sure that's going to stop her. I'd hope she wasn't actually stupid enough to…" Edward trailed off, staring out the window. He shook his head and laid back on the pillow._

 _"Should they know about it?" Bella asked, snuggling against his side. He sighed as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close._

 _"Maybe…I think Peter needs to know if it's going to be a problem. We will talk to Aro and Charlie tomorrow to see if they can give us any advice. In the meantime, maybe we should look into getting some cameras or a better security system…" Edward said again. He pressed a light kiss to Bella's forehead._

 _"We will figure it out." Edward promised, looking into her eyes, "besides, you need sleep. First day back tomorrow." He teased lightly._

 _"Yippee," Bella said sarcastically._

Bella was happy to go back to work, but Edward wasn't sure how she would do given the amount of changes there had been in her life. After a long break, she seemed eager to get back to caring for patients and had opted to switch to a different specialty than emergency medicine. Seeing and interacting with Peter and what came with him, inspired her to try the realm of Women's Health at the hospital. Edward was eager for her to learn all she could.

Her new opportunity also permitted her to work more standard hours, allowing her to be home with Charlotte and Peter. Renee often babysat the kids after school for a few hours, but Peter and Charlotte were excited to have the new dynamic where they would get more time with Bella during the day.

He smiled when he remembered the first day after Bella got home. She talked everyone's ear off about the different patients she got to see and how different it was than her time in the emergency department.

They stuck to their decision and contacted Aro Volturi the next day, asking for his advice. He admitted he had been worried about something along these lines. He instructed them to contact the local police department, as they already had been looped in on the inner workings of the case, due to the fact that Kate was wanted and at large. They had taken extra measures in the court proceedings to ensure that Kate never got the insight as to where they lived. Garrett and Edward's family were the only ones that would know—and they'd been instructed to keep that information to themselves.

 _With the click of the phone, Edward sighed, sliding it back into his pocket._

 _"Everything all right?" Bella asked, popping her head out of the closet. She tossed a garment into a basket before coming to sit on the bed. She had been gathering clothes that had magically begun to accumulate in the time she and Charlotte had been staying at Edward's house._

 _"Uh, yeah. Fine. Aro just said to contact the local police again and to just be careful. He thinks we're right. It's probably Kate." Edward said frowning._

 _"Is she stupid or something? She's not getting anywhere near him. How did she even find out your address? Did anyone have any contact with her? Your brother?" Bella asked, scooting closer to him. She sighed._

 _"I have no idea. Aro has no idea. Garrett's still at a treatment center. Aro doesn't think it was him…how would she have talked to him? He's going to check with the center anyway. I think it's just a dead end. If Garrett would betray his son like that after everything we've been through, I will personally kill him myself." Edward said, turning to look at Bella. His voice was hard._

 _She remembered the way he was when he saw Garrett for the first time, the blood staining his knuckles. A shiver ran down her spine, and she didn't want to know what would happen Garrett was the rat._

 _"Garrett's a piece of shit, but I don't think he would do something like that. Not again. He seemed like he wanted to get through whatever it is he needs to get through. He acted like he wanted to care or…try to." Edward continued._

 _"Well, maybe…there's a bright side here. Forget about everything that may have happened to lead up to it…but let's say we do see her. Someone sees her, and they call the police. Then, she gets arrested, and they ship her back to Illinois to rot in prison." Bella offered, trying to lighten the conversation._

 _"Yeah, but Bella, how everything gets from point A to point B is important. That's a great solution, and if we could make it happen right now, I'd do it. But, what about Peter? What about Charlotte? Kate is…unpredictable and potentially dangerous! How do we know what she would do to get to Peter? I'd rather she be off somewhere else than near us if it meant…" Edward opened his mouth to continue but shook his head as the words left him. He couldn't express it._

 _He couldn't watch Peter go through it again._

 _"God, hasn't the kid had enough to deal with for a lifetime? I know you're trying to be optimistic…but what are we supposed to tell him? 'Peter, your mother's back, and she's probably going to try to come around you." Edward groaned again, "I don't know if I can do that, Bella. And I certainly don't want to drag you and Charlotte into something I don't know the outcome of."_

 _"Well, that sucks for you because I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Charlotte." Bella couldn't stop the sarcasm from spewing out of her mouth. Edward turned to stare at her, his gaze wary._

 _"It's true. I'm not worried about Peter because he's got you now. And he has Charlotte and me. We love you and Peter, Edward. And I know he's going to be strong for whatever comes at him because you showed him what it means to be that way."_

"I hope you're right," Edward said to himself. He moved his eyes to look at the clock situated on the wall above the woman across from him. Perhaps the analog clock would be different than the digital clock on his phone.

Peter's session was running behind.

Edward sighed.

He hoped they weren't going to be late.

Bella's birthday was happening in the midst of this chaos. and Renee wasn't letting Bella 'live in fear' and miss out on a celebration. One that was special, since it would be Edward and Peter's first time joining them for a family celebration. Edward was taking Peter back to Bella's house to get ready, a spot they'd relocated too after finding the threatening note on his door. He'd picked Charlotte and Peter up from school earlier before practically dragging Peter out the door to his appointment. After the pitstop home, they would run to get Bella to surprise her at the restaurant. The kids were looking forward to it. They were eager for some excitement since lately, the tension had been thick enough to cut.

Someone cleared their throat to get Edward's attention. Anxiously, his head shot up, meeting a pair of cool blue eyes.

"Hi," said the woman from across the room, "I'm Rebecca. Is this seat taken?"

Edward scrunched his eyes, "Uh…no, it's not. I'm Edward."

"Nice to meet you. Are you just waiting for someone?"

"Uh…yeah, actually, he should be out any moment." Edward smiled politely, trying to look anywhere but at this woman's face. She was pretty with light red hair slicked back into a ponytail and wide eyes.

"Okay, well, I'll make this quick then. I…saw you looking at me, and I wondered if you wanted to maybe…go out sometime? Grab a drink?"

"Uh…no, thanks. I wasn't looking at you…" Edward said abruptly, "the clock is behind you."

The woman opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by another clearing of the throat.

"Come on, Dad, let's go home," Peter said, glaring at the woman. Edward hadn't even heard him come out.

Her eyes widened.

"Mom is waiting for us." Peter added sharply.

Edward stood quickly, grabbing Peter's shoulder, "yes, she is, so let's go." He bit his lip to hide the smirk that was fighting its way out.

* * *

"Thanks for the save back there, Pete," Edward said, laughing lightly as he pulled out of the parking lot. The boy in the passenger seat frowned next to him.

"What is it? How'd your session go?"

"It went fine, Uncle Edward."

"Uh, oh…you used my full name. What's going on, kid?"

"Why was that lady talking to you?" Peter said, without missing a beat. Edward's foot almost slammed on the brakes from the slickness of Peter's voice.

"What?"

"That lady, at Dr. Masen's office. She was talking to you and doing things that girls do when they like someone. Did she like you or something?" Peter asked again, just as smooth as the first time.

"Uh, she asked me to go out with her, yeah…How long were you standing there?" Edward asked, confused by the confrontational tone of his nephew's voice.

"Only a second. You looked like you wanted to leave, so I thought I would help."

"Oh. Yeah, she was…just being friendly, I guess."

"Are you going to go with her? Out?" Peter asked again, the confrontational tone returning.

"What? Of course not, Peter. Why would you ask that?"

"I…don't know. I thought you liked her. Things have been weird at the house…" Peter said, looking down at his thumbs. They were twiddling at the edge of the seat belt draped over him, "it seems like something is going on …between you and Bella."

Edward sighed.

"There _is_ something going on, isn't there? Are we leaving? Uncle E, we can't leave…" Peter started.

"No, Peter. Yes, there is something going on, but not what you're thinking. Bella and I are happier than ever, Pete. You don't have to worry about that." Edward responded, turning his head to glance at his nephew as they pulled up to a stoplight.

"Then what's going on?"

"Peter…it involves you. I told Bella we'd tell you together. We'll talk about it after dinner tonight, I promise."

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because it affects us all, Peter. Now isn't the right place to tell you."

"That's so stupid! If it involves me…"

"And, we will tell you tonight."

"That's hours from now. How am I supposed to sit through a stupid dinner with this on my mind!" Peter said, getting angry.

"All right…We're going out for Bella's birthday, Pete. I don't think that's stupid, do you?"

He shrugged his shoulders, staring at the ground with a frown plastered to his face.

"Is that a no?"

"I don't know."

Edward gripped his hands on the steering wheel, mentally counting to ten in his head. Even though he spent so much time with his nephew, the official parent dynamic was an area where he and his newly acquired ward butted heads. With the whirlwind of court dates behind them, Peter now had a lot to deal with, and a lot to heal from. Edward couldn't even begin to understand how it felt because he knew he'd never gone through anything that would ever compare.

He was trying, though.

Was that enough?

"It's not that long, Peter. You will be fine to wait until after dinner. We will tell you everything we know. We're not even sure it's something to worry about…it could just be…" Edward shook his head, trailing off.

"Why? Ugh, I don't get why I have to…" Peter whined again, coldly.

"Because I said so," Edward said, matching Peter's tone ice chip for ice chip.

"Really? That's the line you're gonna use? You're not my dad...you can't." Peter started angrily. His façade quickly fell apart as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Deciding he was already too far into this mess, he narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows. His session hadn't gone well…and he didn't want to talk about it.

He was sick of that.

Talking about it.

Talking to him like he was a child.

Keeping things from him.

Even his uncle.

His cool, always there for him uncle was siding with _them_.

 _"It will be good for you, Pete."_ He said.

Therapy was stupid.

His therapist was stupid.

He hated talking about it.

He hated being afraid.

Deep down, he knew his uncle was trying. If this was new for Peter, how new was it for him?

Despite this, the deep feeling of fear always won the battles Peter had in his head.

"Damn it, Peter, that's enough! Now I'm trying…but I'm tired of this…brat phase you've been having. Just…go inside. We'll talk tonight because I said that's when we're talking." Edward said as they pulled into the driveway. He gripped his fingers on the steering wheel, taking a deep breath as his nephew scoffed.

Edward was certain he could hear the eye roll crossing Peter's face as he got out of the car, slamming the door a little too harshly behind him. He put his head on the steering wheel, shutting his eyes tightly together as he tried to maintain his temper. His breathing increased rapidly as he lifted his head.

"Ugh!" He yelled, swinging his hand back and hitting the dashboard with force. Pain quickly radiated through his hand, throbbing as he whipped it back to his side.

"Damn it!" He whispered harshly.

A noise ripped through the air, causing Edward to look up from his momentary distress. The throbbing in his hand was forgotten as he focused on the sound coming from the upstairs window of the Swan house.

Screaming

 **AN: Don't worry, I've already got the next one locked and loaded for you. I am thinking we are going to get regular updates until this fic is complete!**

 **I have a facebook group where I posted manips, teasers, etc. Link is on my profile or search "Mariescullen Fanfiction" to join!**

 **See you soon !**


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks to Mykaela, Heather, and Gail for pre-reading and consulting for this chapter. Thanks to Fran for beta'ing.**

 **Warning: This chapter contains graphic language, violence, and content.**

Chapter 25

Edward burst through the door, craning his neck in every direction as he came into the hallway. The screaming continued, coming from the upstairs bedroom. It was a loud holler; a woman's voice followed by the banging of fists on a door.

Renee.

"Peter? Charlotte? What's going on?" Edward yelled as he moved towards the kitchen, peeking around before turning towards the steps. Had Charlotte decided to play some cruel trick on her grandmother after school? Had Renee locked herself in the guest room by mistake?

He followed the sound, stomping his feet loudly as he ran up the steps.

"Renee?" He called.

The banging got louder as he approached.

"Edward? Is that you? Edward! Stop! She locked me in here! She's downstairs! Edward! There's someone in the house!" Renee yelled through the door. Her voice was muffled but what he caught caused the blood to curl underneath his skin.

The words barely registered in his ears before he was bolting down the steps.

He was frantic.

"Peter? Charlotte?" Edward called, turning towards the kitchen as the top of his foot tapped the bottom step, "where are you guys—"

Edward felt hollow; a sudden frost web coated his insides like paint as his voice trailed off. His skin jumped and tingled wildly as he took in the scene before him. His mind was blank the instant he saw her. She stood there, a panicked expression taking over her breathing became ragged and loose strains of dirty blonde hair messily framed her face. She was pale with deep purple rings under her eyes. Her stained shirt and jeans crumpled as she stared down at the floor.

It wasn't the vision of his ex-sister-in-law standing in his girlfriend's kitchen that sprung him into action: it was the paling girl at her feet.

He could feel the tightness in his lungs when he caught sight of her light brown braids spilling mercifully over the kitchen floor. Her small hands clutched her throat, and her breaths were spaced evenly between strained coughs as tears streamed down her face like a river.

"Charlotte!" Edward yelled, sprinting to the girl's side. He shoved Kate aside, ignoring whatever blasphemy was coming from her mouth. It was difficult to tune out; she was cussing loudly. He pulled Charlotte close to him, eyes wide, trying to figure out what was wrong. He sat her up against him, turning to glare at Kate with murderous eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? What did you do to her!" Edward screamed. He quickly turned his head back to the girl in his arms.

"I…I don't know what to do. I gave her candy…just to shut her up while we waited. The bitch upstairs wouldn't stop screaming, and this one wouldn't stop whining!" Kate's thin, throaty voice howled.

"Kate! What the hell happened? How long has she been like this?" Edward said, startled as he began looking around him.

"I…it just happened! I swear! I was waiting for you and Peter…I didn't know the kid, and the other lady were here! Al-..she didn't mention the other people, only that your girlfriend worked during the day…"

Edward didn't listen to anything she said; he was too focused on the child in his arms.

And the one frozen in the doorway, his wide eyes meeting that of his mother.

"What are _you_ doing here? What…Charlotte! What did you do to her?" Peter cried, shifting his glance quickly to his uncle's position on the floor, "Uncle E!"

"Peter! I need you to get Charlotte's special box in the bathroom under the sink. Remember where we showed you?" Edward barked at his nephew, who had walked into the room, rubbing his arm casually.

Peter's eyes widened in horror at the scene before him. He stared at the woman…the woman from his nightmares before letting his eyes drift. The blood underneath his skin ran cold.

"Peter, now!" Edward bellowed.

The boy took off like a bullet, darting through the house towards the bathroom. He tore open the cabinet, quickly grabbing the small pink box, and raced back towards Charlotte. The little girl's face was scrunched up as Edward ran his fingers through her hair.

"Hold on, babe, Peter's coming. You're gonna be all right, just focus on me, okay? Focus on breathing." Edward whispered, ignoring everything else around. Charlotte's brown eyes filled with fresh tears, but she bit her lip and nodded as she fought to take a deep breath.

"Here! Uncle Edward!" Peter tossed the box the remaining distance when he broke into the kitchen.

Edward caught the box with ease, taking no time to rip it open. He removed the Epi-Pen, pulling the cap off the end.

"Okay, Charlotte. This is going to sting for a minute." Edward said, injecting the pen into the young girl's thigh, "Peter, Renee is upstairs. Go find her and call 911!"

Charlotte squirmed uncomfortably under his arm as he held the pen for a few more seconds before removing it, discarding it next to him.

After a moment, he noticed her breathing calm. Edward sighed in relief, pulling Charlotte closer to him, gently running his fingers through her hair. He dropped a light kiss on the top of her head when she looked up at him.

"There…. was…peanut butter in the chocolate." Charlotte rasped, staring widely at the woman behind Edward, "she gave it to me and made me eat it! She was trying to…she told me to be quiet." Charlotte cried harder, scooting into Edward's arms, farther away from the stranger in her kitchen. Kate gasped and backed up farther away, and from the corner of his eye, Edward saw her glance at the back door.

"Don't even fucking think about it. You about killed this little girl, Kate. You owe us a damn explanation about why you're here." Edward squeezed Charlotte before maneuvering her under the table. I'll be right here, Char. You need to lay down; we're going to get you to the hospital."

"What…what about Mommy's birthday?" Charlotte rasped again.

"Oh, Charlotte, I'm sure she'll understand," Edward said, swallowing back the sob in his throat. He moved to get up to deal with the other problem in the room, but she tugged the hem of his jeans as he moved away.

"Edward?" She whispered, "thanks for saving me."

He smiled softly and squeezed her knee before turning back to face Kate.

The smile melted before he could turn all the way around.

"What is it you're doing here, Kate? Was it you who left the note on my door?" Edward spat as he met her stone-gray eyes.

"Come on, Ed. You think I was just going to let Peter leave Chicago, did you?"

"And you don't think I'm going to let you take him, do you? The court gave him to _me_. You fucked up your chance when you decided to sell your kid for a bump of coke or whatever the hell you're putting in your body. Look at you … you disgust me."

"Because you're such a fucking angel, Ed-ward..."

"A kid you'll never come near again if I can make it happen. But you did that just fine yourself, Kate." He continued.

"How'd you know where to find us? Who gave you my address? Who gave you Bella's?" Edward asked, ignoring her comment.

"It doesn't even matter…what matters is you not giving me my child."

"He's not going to go with you even if there wasn't a court order, Kate. If there were no restrictions, he wouldn't go with you. Get that through your thick skull."

"He's not staying here! You're not his father!"

"Doesn't matter. I know I can be more to him than you and Garrett combined. You didn't see him, Kate. You didn't see what you did. Now, for the last time, who gave you the addresses? You said "she" earlier. Who is 'she'?"

Kate stared, gritting her teeth.

"Who do you think? Alice is just as unhappy about this _arrangement_ as I am." She spat angrily.

"Alice? Alice gave you our addresses?" Edward said, shock crossing his face. Anger boiled underneath the surface, but he couldn't deal with that now.

"And I could kill that bastard Garrett for what you all did." She said sharply, huffing with anger. Her frail hand moved to the back of her jeans.

Edward approached her, the angry glint in his eye shimmering. He saw it from the corner of his eye, tucked in her back pocket. Her hand hovered lightly above it. It was small, which would explain why he didn't see it at first.

A gun.

"Kate…" he started slowly, staring at her gun.

Her hand touched the weapon, pulling it swiftly to the front. She held the gun, tightening her hands around the grip as she aimed at the floor.

"Kate." Edward said, harsher, "think about what you're doing."

"He's my son, Edward! And you just took him from me!"

"Kate. Peter chose to come with me. He wanted to stay here. He…"

"Shut up!"

"Uncle E?" Peter said, coming downstairs. He stopped in his tracks, staring down the weapon in his mother's hands.

"Peter…go back upstairs!" Edward said calmly, the blood rushing from his face. He kept his sights trained on Kate, but he couldn't stand for Peter to be here.

"No, Edward, he can stay. He needs to know he's leaving with me."

"That's not happening, Kate. Put the gun down, and we can talk about this like civilized adults." Edward tried to rationalize with her.

"No! I'm done talking! You, Garrett, and the court system just decided it was okay to take my baby!" Kate howled.

"Kate! You signed the papers!"

"I…I was high! I was on something! I wasn't in my right mind! You!...You're sick for stealing him!" Kate yelled, raising the gun.

"Peter, go upstairs," Edward repeated.

"No, Peter stays," Kate commanded, turning towards him. She shifted her body, swaying lightly, moving the muzzle of the gun in the direction of the young boy.

"Uncle Edward…is this what you were talking about?" Peter asked, stunned. His eyes were glued to the small black weapon.

Edward sighed and nodded, "it was a possibility, Peter. We can…talk about this later. You need to leave and take Charlotte and go back upstairs."

"No, Peter. Stay. She can stay too." Kate said in a honeyed voice. She nodded her head lightly at Peter, attempting to smile. "Maybe I'll take you both. How would that feel, Edward? You and your bitch can know what its like to have your child stolen from you-"

"No! I'm not going anywhere with you!" Peter cut her off as fury masked his face. He tore his eyes from the gun, "don't you get it? I hate you! I'm never going back with you, and you'll never take Charlotte."

"Kate! Leave him out of this!" Edward yelled, trying to get her attention back on him, "he's just a kid! Peter, take Charlotte and leave."

"Is that what you think, Peter? I raised you!" Kate spat, staring down the boy.

"Exactly. You did, and that's why I want to be here. Please, just leave! I don't want you here! I never want to be near you again!" Peter argued back, "Leave! That's what I want!"

"I am your mother!" Kate yelled.

He continued to stare at her, meeting her gaze.

"No, you're not," Peter said calmly, the fight leaving his voice. It didn't matter to him what his uncle kept from him. It didn't matter if they argued. He knew Uncle E loved him, and he would never go with this woman.

The words hit Kate like a wrecking ball. She staggered back, causing the gun to lower slightly.

Edward took advantage of her momentary slip, reaching her in two steps. She was wide-eyed when she saw him approach, quickly moving the gun up again. He managed to get his hands around the barrel, aiming it down in an attempt to disarm her. Kate was distracted, staring between Edward and Peter. She jerked her arms around, trying to get away from him.

"Kate, stop!" Edward whispered harshly. He was cut off by his nephew's voice.

"No! Stop!" Peter cried.

The loud crack of the bullet punctuated his cry.

Kate's eyes went wide, dropping the gun with a yelp. Her breathing picked up as she stared at what she'd done.

"I...wasn't...going to..I didn't..." She stuttered softly, staring at the weapon. She staggered back, frightened. Nobody listened as she spoke softly to herself, "It...was an accident."

Edward's eyes were still as the noise radiated in his brain. He blinked, trying to register what exactly it was that just happened. His shoulders tightened, his breathing becoming uncomfortable. Chills of cold air raked down his arms, clawing their way as he stared straight on. Kate's shocked eyes trained on his chest, but all he could do was blink. He registered the noises around him as he started to back up slowly, stumbling.

Peter yelling.

Charlotte's wails.

The sirens getting closer.

The creaking of the stairs as Renee raced down to the first floor.

He continued back until he hit the kitchen island. A wave of dizziness washed through him. He reached his arm to grip the edge of the counter, his hand sweaty. Through blurry vision, Edward turned his head to look at his nephew.

But he was gone.

Edward shut his eyes for a moment, trying to ease the lightheadedness. He opened them again, his green eyes looking down. His gray shirt was getting darker in the middle, and he blinked back, eyes still searching for Peter.

It took him only a second to find him. He saw the gun on the other side of the kitchen, far from Kate. His nephew stood next to his mother, his hands gripping her arm angrily as he yelled and screamed; tears streaming down his face.

It could have been seconds or minutes ... or longer.

His legs began to shake, and he realized he hadn't taken a breath in seconds. With every new intake, he gasped at the sharp pain radiating in his chest and becoming hotter and hotter.

Edward's legs started to give. He gripped the counter as he slid down, biting his lips as the pain seared through him. He felt a light pull on his arm, helping him ease down to the tile.

Renee.

"Edward, you need to hold on. What…what can I do? The ambulance is almost here!"

Edward stared at the floor, finally finding his rasp voice.

"I think…it's my… I need you to help me to lay on the floor…until the EMS get here. It's hard to breathe." Edward said, softly, fatigue hitting him.

Renee gasped, but assisted, lowering him until he was pressing the cold tile to his cheek.

"Right side down, where it hit, it'll help," Edward instructed.

Another wave of dizziness hit him, and he caught Peter's teary eyes.

"Uncle E?" Peter cried, his clogged nose catching his voice. He sniffled.

"Hey, it's okay, Pete. It's okay…it's all right. I'm okay." Edward said softly. He repeated the soft words again. He coughed softly, the metallic taste stinging his tongue. He took another deep breath, regretting it instantly as a groan of pain escaped his lips. Peter's face scrunched in response, his breath increasing.

"It's okay, Peter. Just. Stay with Charlotte and Renee." Edward said, "Make sure you tell them she already had one Epi-Pen and that she's allergic to nuts. She'll be all right." His voice was light, weak.

"Uncle E... but what about you?" Peter cried, staring at his uncle's darkening shirt.

"I'm going to be okay; _I promise."_

 **AN: There are some scenes here that have been sitting in drafts for a _long_ time (seriously, like February - March). This story has taken so many directions since I started it over a year ago. Feel free to come chat about the chapter in my FB group "Mariescullen Fanfiction". Hoping to finish this story before May is over. **

**See you soon.**


	26. Chapter 26

**AN: Thanks to Fran for beta'ing. Thanks to Gail and Mykaela for pre-reading.**

Boy in the Backyard

Chapter 26

 _Peter Cullen stared at the ground—the earth, the grass, so purely untouched in the meadow around him. He drew his eyes towards the edge where soft wildflowers straightened, hoping to absorb what was left of Wednesday morning's sunshine. The voices of his family were mumbled, an indistinct static that his ears were barely receiving. He bit his lip, fighting the voices back._

 _If he turned his head, it would be real._

 _The earth and the grass wouldn't be so purely untouched anymore. They'd be a sandy brown, crunching wanly under his black dress shoes._

 _If he turned his head, he'd have to see their aching. Charlotte's eyes would flicker like a switch until they finally settled on a dull, pain-filled brown. Bella's sad eyes would turn to anger if she met his ashamed ones—because it was his fault. Anger for what was taken from them, and anger for what Peter brought into their lives._

 _He should turn around, though._

 _He deserved it._

 _Being strong was the least he could do, right? After all, it was_ him _who taught him what that meant. Blood softly trickled into his mouth the harder he bit; he couldn't stop the quivering of his bottom lip. The baseball-sized lump in his throat left him dry, his lungs begging for air._

" _I'm…sorry." He muttered quietly to himself, turning. The wildflowers became a haze of watercolors as the tears erupted from his eyes. They were salty and burning as they cascaded down his raw, red cheeks, "I'm sorry, Uncle E."_

 _He felt a hand on his shoulder, a pale, large hand. He took a breath as he looked up to meet the owner's gaze._

 _Garrett's eyes_ _were mournful; blue; glistening at his brother's casket._

" _It's time to say goodbye, Peter."_

"No! No! I can't! I can't!" Peter cried, taking a deep breath. His eyes ripped open, squinting after seeing the bright lights of the hospital waiting room. He gasped for breath and stared at the floor. He reached up instinctively to touch his hair only to find it covered with sweat.

"Peter? What is it?" Renee asked, getting up from her spot on the stiff, blue couch.

"Wh…what time is it? Where's Bella?" Peter asked, panic crossing his face as he looked around the nearly empty room.

"It's about 11:00 pm, Pete. You've been sleeping for a while. I didn't want to wake you. Bella is back with Charlotte; they're keeping her overnight for observation."

"She's gonna be okay?"

"Yep, she's going to be perfectly okay, kiddo. They just want to make sure nothing happens again. Your Uncle really saved the day with that one." Renee smiled softly at him.

"And what about him? What about my Uncle E?" Peter asked desperately.

"He's still in surgery, Peter. The doctors are working on him. Bella came back out here about an hour ago to give me an update. They're doing the best they can…it's just going to take a while. When you want, we can go back to where Bella and Charlotte are." Renee said gently, "would you like that?"

Peter nodded lightly. He stretched his arms out over his head, twisting his back to crack it. The stiff hospital chair wasn't the ideal place for a nap.

"We might be able to get you a cot if you wanna sleep some more when we get back there." Renee offered as she gathered her bag.

A shiver scraped down Peter's spine. He wouldn't be going back to sleep until he saw his uncle.

"No." He responded darkly, looking at the floor with a frown. He could feel his lip start to quiver again as his mind flashed back to the nightmare he'd woken from, "No more sleeping."

* * *

 _Renee huddled in the corner of the hospital room; her breathing was erratic as she watched her granddaughter on the bed. Peter sat closely next to her under the crook of her arm. The young boy's eyes were wide with worry. His focus splintered between staring at the girl on the bed and the cracked metal door._

 _He wished he could see his uncle._

" _Oh, God. Charlotte! What happened?" Bella shrieked as she burst into the room. She shut the door behind her before hurrying over to the small girl on the bed. She ran her hand through the little girl's hair, tears prickling at her eyes._

" _I'm okay, Mommy," Charlotte said, looking up at her mother._

 _Bella gasped lightly, taking the girl gently into her arms, peppering kisses across every inch of skin she could see, "Oh, baby!"_

" _Bella…she had an allergic reaction. She…ate a piece of candy with peanuts in it."_

" _What? How did that happen? Where's Ed—" Bella snapped, looking around the room, noticing someone was missing._

" _Honey, there was a break-in at the house when I was watching Charlotte after school. Edward and Peter weren't back yet from his therapy appointment."_

" _A break-in? What are you talking about, Mom? Where's Edward?"_

" _It was her," Peter said, staring at the door. He couldn't bear to look Bella in the eye._

 _Bella's figure staggered noticeably as soon as the words left Peter's mouth._

" _Your mother? Kate?"_

 _Peter nodded softly._

" _Bella, listen to me … Kate gave Charlotte some candy…to try to keep her quiet until Edward and Peter got home. She, uh, didn't know you had a child. She had already locked me in the closet upstairs."_

 _Renee tried to explain calmly._

" _Wh…" Bella started._

" _Mommy, it's okay. Edward and Peter got there…Edward saved me…he used my special box that Peter got from its special place." Charlotte said before flashing her eyes to Peter. She blinked hard before letting the tears start to fall down her face._

" _Charlotte! What's…"_

" _Bella, that woman had a gun. She was…deranged. A complete psychopath. She showed up with the expectation of taking Peter…" Renee explained._

 _Kate Denali had been inside her house? With her child? With her children? With her mother? With Edward? Something clicked inside of her head—where was he?_

" _Mom, where's Edward?" Bella asked, eyes widening with the fear that set deep in her bones._

" _Bella, sweetie…please take a breath. Edward would not let her take Peter, so Kate fired the gun, and it hit him. She…claims it was an accident. He tried to get it away from her…but." She trailed off lightly. "He's in surgery," Renee said calmly, biting her lip as she stared at her daughter._

 _He was in…surgery. He got shot. Edward got shot. In her kitchen? The words alone made her stomach whirl. She couldn't grasp the thought. How…_

" _He…was shot? How…wh…" Bella stuttered, eyes widening. Panic began to fill her body, a lump rising in her throat. Her thoughts were scattered. Edward…had gotten shot? And Charlotte was nearby when all of this occurred? And what about Peter…oh, God, Peter. Things were fuzzy as she whipped her head around to take in her daughter's body, eyes scanning along every surface for an injury._

" _Once, Bella … he was hit in the chest…well, the ribs, but there was a puncture to his left lung. They took him right to surgery once we got here. I…imagine they've started not too long ago." Renee described nervously, frowning as she took in her daughter's somber expression, but also not wanting to upset the children who were listening intently._

 _Bella stumbled back, gasping and catching herself on the wall. Her other hand raised to cover her mouth as she fought to breathe._

" _Um…did they say what they were doing? What's going on? Where's Kate? What about Carlisle and Esme…did someone call them? Why didn't someone call me earlier? Did they say what doctor was doing the surgery? What about P…" Bella scrambled her words until she finally settled on the small boy in the room._

" _Peter," Bella said softly, fighting to contain the sob in the back of her throat._

 _She crossed the room in only a few steps, reaching her arm out to the frail-looking boy tucked under her mother's arm. His eyes were soft, glistening with wavering tears. They kept shifting from Charlotte to Bella, to the clock, like a roundabout pattern waiting for the last shoe to drop. Waiting for something._

" _Peter? Are you all right?" Bella repeated steadily. She opened her arms softly, inviting him for a hug._

 _He hesitated for a split second before leaving Renee's side and stepping into Bella's arms, welcoming her light touch on his back. He breathed in her scent, a wave of peace overcoming him. He couldn't stop the tears that began to fall down his cheek._

 _He bit back, ripping an arm from around Bella's waist to press it to his face to try to hide his mess. He sniffed, pressing his hand harder into his welled-up face._

" _Peter…sweetheart. You're all right; everything's okay now. Did she hurt you?" Bella asked through her own tears. They dripped lightly onto Peter's matted hair._

" _No… she didn't hurt me…it just happened so fast. She was just there, and I don't know what…" Peter trailed off, shaking his head._

* * *

The muscles in Peter's back ached as he re-adjusted, tucking his knees farther into the backside of the stiff couch. He felt an unusual heaviness on top of him, a coat of warmth. He lazily reached his hand over to feel what was providing such comfort—a prickly wool blanket was draped over him, caught in the midst of his tangled legs. He wondered briefly if Bella had placed it over him at some point during the night.

She and Renee were swapping positions every few hours between his Uncle E's room and Charlotte's. He wondered if she would be awake just yet. According to Bella, it'd been a fairly quiet night for Charlotte. Before she went to sleep, she was unhappy about what had occurred at the house, but health-wise, was sound. She desperately wanted to hug Edward again—she was almost as afraid as Peter had been.

Peter knew the feeling.

In the small row of windows above the couch, the first sign of morning light began to creep through the blinds. Peter bit his lip, fighting the flashes so determined to enter his mind. He couldn't go back to that place…the place he fought so hard to escape.

It was a losing battle.

 _The field with dead flowers, faceless strangers standing, peering at the six-foot hole in the ground._

 _His father reaching out for him. His mother waiting for him in a simple black dress. While the other women in the crowd dawned pearly white gloves over their hands, hers were a dark, wine red. They slithered over her arms, skin-tight, as if she dunked her arms into a bucket of paint, but Peter knew deep down they weren't gloves._

 _Droplets of red hit the light green grass._

" _It's time to say goodbye, Peter."_

 _But he couldn't do it._

 _Did that make him any less strong? Was it okay that he couldn't do it?_

Peter couldn't say goodbye.

He opened his eyes, shaking his head. He was breathing hard. His eyes raced up the walls, landing on the spot he'd settled on earlier, staring at it for most of the night.

The walls of Uncle E's room were cream—soft, not peeling or devoid of paint in areas, just cream. The night before, it was a strange concept to see his uncle laying there, unresponsive, save for the beeping of the machines. If Peter focused on the walls as he drifted to sleep, they seemed to act as a coat of protection against the reality behind his closed eyes. It was safe and comforting.

He'd been camped out on the hard-cushioned couch since they'd been allowed in to see Edward. He spent a few hours with Charlotte the previous night while they waited for his uncle to be moved from recovery to a regular room.

Peter didn't last long in the recovery room—the one with a lot more machines and buttons, with wires coming and going in every direction. By the time he got there, Edward was already back to sleep. His vitals were checked, and a new round of pain medicine was given. It was calming in a way, as if he was sleeping. Bella said he'd woken up momentarily, roused from the anesthesia, groggy, and not likely to remember anything until he woke up on his own.

This room was nicer—a couch, some chairs, and some small tables lined the area. Peter briefly wondered if it was because of his uncle's position at the hospital. Was it strange for the other doctors to work on one of their own? He made a note to ask Bella about it when this was all over, long over.

He was rest-assured his uncle was _out of the woods_.

Regardless, leaving wasn't a notion Peter was going to consider until he saw Uncle E's eyes open. And even then, it was highly unlikely.

Bella called him stubborn but didn't fight him on anything.

He'd been the voice of reason since Bella arrived. Held her hand in the time of need, but not for Bella's sake. For his own.

Because without it, he was going to drown in the memory of what transpired in that kitchen...

" _What did you do? What the hell did you do? How could you do this?" He cried; his voice raised. The loud tone pricked his skin after the echo of the gunshot. Peter saw everything. He didn't care if she was startled, if it was an accident, none of it mattered. He kicked the gun away from where she dropped it to the far side of the kitchen, "What did you do, Kate!" he screamed._

 _He'd never had the strength to face his mother head on this way. He'd never even thought of using the words that came out of his mouth—words he'd picked up from the people at his old house when they ran out of something … words that came out of someone's mouth when they got angry. He reached out and gripped her arms tightly._

 _He saw the look of shock cross Edward's face as he hit the back of the counter and raised a curled hand to his chest. It only fueled the fire beneath his feet._

" _I…I. Don't…Peter…we need to leave. You have to come with me." Kate stuttered as her ex-brother-in-law slumped over against the counter. She could hear the sirens wailing in the distance. Her heart was beating slowly. She tugged against her son's hands, trying to drag him with her. They could still run. They could go._

 _But Peter wouldn't budge._

" _No. I'm not letting you go anywhere! You're never going anywhere again! I hate you! And I'm going to make sure you know exactly how much, Mother." Peter spat the last word as if it was an insult, "you wanted me with you, and now you have me, and I think we should stay." Peter gripped her arms tighter. He couldn't control his anger; it was as if all his hate for the woman in front of him had surfaced at this very moment._

 _His nails dug into her wrists._

 _She had hurt the one person who loved him unconditionally …_

 _With each glance towards his uncle, he clenched harder. With each glance towards his uncle, he clenched harder, creating a soft glove of red from the indentions._

 _His uncle's soft voice pulled him out of the rage._

" _Right side down, where it hit, it'll help," he mumbled._

 _He watched his uncle on the ground, compressing the side of his chest with his arm._

" _Uncle E?" The words came out in a sob._

 _It wasn't long before Bella's kitchen and living room_ _became_ _flooded with people in uniform. Peter held his breath and kept his eyes wide as the EMTs worked over his unconscious uncle. They worked swiftly despite being shocked to find a man with a gunshot wound at the scene. They called for backup before turning their attention to him, taping a tube to his face._

 _Renee spoke to them, giving them insight on Edward's condition. There was a ringing in Peter's ears, and he couldn't seem to make out what she said. He kept his hold tight on Kate's wrist._

 _He cringed painfully as he watched the medic stick a large needle into his uncle's chest._

 _He had to turn away from it._

" _It was her. She did this!" Peter finally managed to find his voice after he shifted around. He stepped away from the woman, letting go of her wrist, "She gave Charlotte over there food she's allergic to so she would keep quiet. And then she tried to take me! And when my uncle wouldn't let that happen, she shot him! She tried to kill him!" Peter yelled at a police officer with steel-gray eyes._

 _He wasn't sure if his words were clear; they could have been muffled sobbing for all he knew._

" _Sweetie, can you tell me what happened?" The voice of a woman dressed in a navy uniform pulled Peter out of his fury haze. He turned his head towards the other end of the kitchen, where an EMT and a woman with tied-back blonde hair was bending. Charlotte hid further back underneath the dining room table, shaking, with her eyes locked on Edward's form. Peter couldn't follow her eyes but heard the wheels of a gurney being pushed away._

" _She…had an allergic reaction…to, uh, nuts. The lady over there gave her a piece of candy. My uncle…the one that got hurt…used an Epi-pen on her. He's a doctor…he told me to tell you…I think she's scared." Peter said as he ran to the other side of the kitchen. He knelt_ _down_ _next to the leg of the kitchen table._

" _It'll be okay, Charlotte. I promise."_

"Peter?" A raspy voice broke his memory.

 **AN: I can now confirm Chapter 27 will be the last chapter, followed by an epilogue, future take!**

 **If you like my stories, check out my Facebook group "Mariescullen Fanfiction and Graphics" for teasers, manips, etc!**

 **Checkout my newest story: The Simulation - The Cullen Inc. is supposed to help those met with terrible fate in this life. Edward Masen, Lead Engineer of the IRMA project, finds his latest assignment, Isabella M. Swan, fascinating. Recovering from injury in an unknown world, Isabella struggles with the perception of reality. Meanwhile, IRMA, a prevalent machine created for the greater good, is hijacked by a powerful businessman.**

 **See you soon,**

 **mariescullen**


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks to Heather, Mykaela, Gail, and Fran for their work on this chapter. This chapter is pretty italic heavy but I am not sure I like that style so I think Im gonna try other writing tactics in future/other stories. Most of this story is like that already so I said oh well :-)**

 **Italics = flashback**

 **Normal = present day**

 **This is the last chapter. Epilogue will be up tomorrow.**

The Boy in the Backyard

Chapter 27

 _8 months later_

The legs of Charlotte's tea party table scraped the wooden floor as Peter bumped his head.

"Dang it!" He exclaimed under his breath, maneuvering his arm to rub the fresh bruise.

Peter froze as he heard the sliding door close. He twiddled his thumbs as he shifted even further under the table; his legs tucked uncomfortably below him. He paid little attention to the thickness of the envelope shoved hastily into his front pocket, though it had been the reason for his current position.

His grandma had given it to him when they arrived, shortly after Edward came out of surgery. He wasn't sure why he had it on him now…it was something he had grown to appreciate over the past few months. It was something that made him feel strong.

 _"Peter! Oh my, Peter! What happened? Bella's mother called us…we jumped on a plane as soon as we could. We…couldn't find one with room for the three of us…so we just came."_

 _"Three of you?"_

 _"Your father…was going to come but decided against it. He wants to give you guys space…he wasn't sure how Edward would feel about seeing him…given everything that's happened._

 _"Uh…yeah, that probably was not a good idea." Peter agreed solemnly. He wasn't sure what his uncle would do if Garrett decided to show his face around the hospital. They were still not on great terms despite everything that happened with the trials._

 _"He asked me to give you this." His grandma started, unsure of how to continue. She pulled a thick envelope out of her purse and gently handed it to him. She said nothing more on the subject as Peter stared at his name written in a messy scrawl on the front._

 _He couldn't deal with it then._

 _He folded it over gently before shoving it into his pocket._

 _"Peter, where is your mother?"_

 _"Where she belongs. They arrested her after…" He trailed off, turning his head to glance down to the automatic double doors leading to the surgical wing, "how much do you know about what happened?" He gave his grandparents a taciturn look._

 _"We know Edward's been…hurt. And that Kate was involved…"_

 _"We should talk to Bella ... she's in Charlotte's room."_

 _"Charlotte's here too? In the hospital?"_

 _"Yeah, we have a lot to talk about."_

It was inside these four walls of the playhouse where he'd found something he didn't know he was looking for. It was a cool summer night, and he had begun to run out of places to make a bed for the night. He figured he could make do with the small, yellow playhouse in the backyard of a grand looking blue house. Surely the kids would have something better to do than sit in a playhouse on a hot summer night. In a world of video games, tablets, and virtual reality lining every aspect of a child's life, what could they want with an old play shack out back?

 _"Peter?" the voice said, causing him to shuffle further._

 _Peter?_

 _The voice was raspy but calm as if he needed to clear his throat or take a long drink of water._

 _"Are you awake for real this time, Uncle E?" The worry was heavy in question._

 _Edward groaned lightly_

 _"I think so," Edward muttered, his eyes blinking rapidly as he adjusted to the light. They were uncomfortably dry as if he'd been sleeping for a very long time and had left in his contacts. He turned his neck slightly, setting his sight on a rectangular blur on the table next to him._

 _"Peter, can you…grab those for me. I want to look see what I'm attached to before really moving."_

 _"Your glasses?"_

 _"Yeah."_

 _"Bella said they took your contacts out before your surgery. That's probably why you can't see. Something about_ corn raisins _or something; I didn't hear the whole conversation. When you woke up before, it wasn't for long." Peter shrugged his shoulders as he moved to grab the glasses from the table. He opened them, moving his arms to set them lightly on his uncle's face._

 _"Thanks, kid," Edward said, his eyes again readjusting. He chuckled lightly at Peter's thorough description of the risk of corneal abrasions, "Oh, don't make me laugh." He mumbled as a burst of light pain shot across his torso and shoulder._

 _He used his hands to calmly assess his body and the machines he was connected to. He turned softly, feeling a slight pull from the area of his chest where he remembered the bullet hitting. It was hazy but clear enough to get an overall picture of what had gone down in that kitchen, hours, days…_

 _"How long have I been sleeping?" Edward asked aloud._

 _Peter shrugged again._

 _"A few hours, the nurse gave you pain medicine when you woke up this morning. Now it's afternoon."_

 _"Okay, wow. Yeah, I have been out for a while…You said Bella has been here?"_

 _"She was here…They didn't want too many people in the room…Bella and Charlotte are over in the cafeteria with Grandma and Grandpa."_

 _"They're here too?"_

 _"Yeah, they got here this morning."_

 _Peter bit his lip. This is what he had been waiting for._

 _Silence fell over the room as Edward continued to look at the machines he was attached to, studying a chest tube carefully. He lifted the side of the dressing gown lightly, squinting to look at the incisions._

 _A wave of unease washed over Peter. He wasn't used to being uncomfortable around his uncle, but what was going to happen? Surely, he wasn't going to be able to stay with him…his family. Would his Uncle Edward want him to leave with Grandma and Grandpa? After all, everything that happened was his fault._

 _Bella was forgiving…she didn't blame Peter for what had occurred with Charlotte, but he couldn't help but shoulder the blame. What would happen if he had never crawled through the window of Charlotte's yellow playhouse in the backyard? Charlotte surely wouldn't have been put in danger… and Peter wouldn't have nearly lost the closest thing he had to a father…_

 _Would Uncle E be as forgiving? His uncle cared about him a great deal. He had proven that over the past few months, practically putting his life on hold to help him, to get custody of him. It was expensive, but Uncle E had always said it was worth it and for Peter to never think about it. But he couldn't help it._

 _This was different._

 _None of that had almost cost Uncle E his life._

 _The scenes from the nightmare had soared across his mind like a meteor sending chills slithering down his spine._

 _"Pete? You okay?" He asked, scrunching his eyes behind the dark frames. Peter hadn't even noticed his uncle was done looking over the wounds, muttering to himself. He'd been too lost in his own head. Was this it? Was this the moment he'd been dreading? He trembled over his words, nearly stuttering with fright._

 _"Yeah…Uncle E…I'm okay…I haven't packed anything. I've been…here…all the while…"_

 _Edward whipped his head around as fast as the wires would allow._

 _"What in God's name are you talking about?" The raspy whisper had left his voice. It was fuller now, both in tone and emotion._

 _He was startled by his uncle's tone._

 _"I…" He trailed off._

 _"Peter? Talk to me, kid."_

 _"Don't you want me to leave?"_

 _"Peter, why would I want you to leave…We just spent…how many months fighting for you to stay here…" Edward was confused, squinting as his nephew through his frames._

 _"Uncle E, it's my fault you're here… My mom … I mean_ she _, hurt you. And Charlotte. I thought…when you passed out…I thought you…" Peter sputtered, not keeping track of the words that came out of his math. He trailed off as he made his last revelation. The traitor tears beginning to fall. The images catapulted back into his head like a canon._

 _"Peter…none of this is your fault. Don't you dare even think about that. A lot of things have happened, but the only one to blame for this is Kate."_

 _"It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't decided to run away."_

 _"No, but the way things were going, something worse could have happened.…I'm glad I'm the one laid up in this bed instead of you, Peter. And I'll be all right, kid. We're just going to have to cool it on going to the batting cages for a while." Edward added the last bit, raising his lip to a slight smirk._

 _Peter laughed softly through his tears._

 _Edward moved his good side around his nephew's torso. He pulled him down for a hug, planting a kiss on Peter's head._

 _"Everyone's all right. Pete, we're going to be fine, and that's all that matters."_

The small wooden door opened, letting the light from the spring afternoon spill into the small house.

"You are so not going to make me crawl in here, Pete." His Uncle Edward poked his head and shoulders through the opening.

Peter shrugged, his shoulder again smacking the corner of the table.

His uncle sighed, crouching tightly as he weaved his way through. He scooted in, not bothering to close the door.

"Come out from under there, Pete."

"Why?"

"For starters, I've heard you bang your head about three times in the past few minutes. Secondly, we've got to talk about this kid."

"What's there to talk about? I…don't want to leave. It doesn't feel right." Peter said sighing. He hurried out from underneath the table, careful to avoid the sharp edges. He stopped only when he was sitting across from his Uncle E.

"All right, and why don't you want to leave?"

"It's…not right. I can't really explain it…" Peter muttered, looking down at the bare wood floor. Bella and Charlotte had already been through to sweep out the playhouse, so there was nothing he could focus his attention on to escape the tension radiating off his shoulders.

"You've never had any trouble leaving or moving before…" Edward inched softly. He knew he was close to getting answers, "how is this any different?"

"Yeah, but now everything is different. I don't want to leave this place…I have a lot of happy memories here." Peter explained, "Sneaking into this playhouse through a loose window, finding Charlotte…it's what started everything. The other places were different. I wanted to leave them. They had all kinds of bad memories."

"Don't think of it as leaving something behind. Is it the house that gave you those memories, Pete? No, it was the people. Think of it as starting a new chapter; you just get to keep everything that gave you those happy memories and make new ones going forward." Edward said quietly.

"There's a lot of reasons we're moving, Peter." He added, "We think it's the right time to stop jumping between houses like we usually do. You got lucky; half of your stuff is already at the other house. And with everything coming up with the trial, don't you think it's important to give our girls something they can look forward to? And besides, you already know Charlie already has blueprints for an even bigger playhouse for Charlotte."

Charlotte and whoever _else_ might be coming along…if Edward was correct in his assumption from the box he found on the counter of their bathroom. He was going to keep his mouth shut until further notice on that one. The thought alone sent a thrill through him.

"And don't you think it's time for someone else to use this playhouse? You had your happy memories with it…imagine what it's going to do for someone else. The people that are buying Bella's house have a daughter who is four."

Peter frowned.

"I guess you're right." He said softly, the folded-up envelope in his pocket now feeling even heavier. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a light knocking on the side of the playhouse.

Edward maneuvered himself out of the entryway, giving Peter a clear view of Charlotte standing on the grass.

"Edward, Mommy wants you to help her. She's in her room." The little girl said, smiling. Charlotte wasn't thrilled about leaving the playhouse behind either, but she didn't question Peter's being upset over it, "I can tell her you're playing with Peter, though."

Edward bit back a laugh, earning him a confused glance from the two children, "Uh, Charlotte, why don't you take over here so I can go help your mom?"

She nodded happily as Edward pulled himself out of the sitting position he had been in, ruffling Charlotte's hair on his way out. n his way back into the house, he ruffled Charlotte's hair.

"Peter, you okay?" She asked quietly as she crawled through the door. Peter was distracted, looking down at the crumpled envelope in his hand. He'd pulled the even more crumpled paper from it and allowed himself to read it once more.

 _Peter,_

 _I am not sure what I am doing with writing this letter. There's nothing I can do to make up for my mistakes. And I sure as hell can't make up for anything your mother has done…especially now. She'll get what's coming to her… Sorry if this letter is a mess, your grandma only now just called me and told me what happened. I guess all I can really say is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for those years, piling things on your kid shoulders, making you carry a burden that no child should ever have to._

 _I knew you were like my kid brother the moment you learned how to speak. You're determined, driven, and fiercely loyal. It might not have looked like that, but I definitely knew. God, you even look like him._

 _But Peter, like your uncle, you're also strong. The strongest one I know. Remember that. I know my little brother and he'll pull through this._

 _I'm sorry I couldn't be…something more to you. But I will spend the rest of my life trying. And I hope one day, I'll be in a time of my life to have a place in yours._

 _Garrett_

* * *

 _Traumatic Pneumothorax and a broken rib." Carlisle said to himself, staring at his son's medical chart, "sounds like you were extremely lucky, son."_

 _"I'll say. Any higher—" Edward started but shot a look at Peter in the hallway with Bella, Esme, and Charlotte. He decided to mince his words instead, "could have been a lot worse."_

 _"Did they say how long you will be in here?"_

 _"A week, maybe ten days or so. They'll remove the chest tube and see how it is from there. I think it will be okay."_

 _"Okay, now that we have cleared up the fact that you are indeed, all right, why don't we all talk about what exactly happened. I imagine the police are going to want to talk to you soon, Edward." Carlisle said, evening out his breaths._

 _The rest of the family chose this moment to head back into the room. A wave of calm washed over Edward when he finally saw Bella, her arms tethered around a sleeping Charlotte as if she was a life preserver. She walked her gently over to the sofa on the other side of the room. Peter was asleep in the chair beside Edward's bed, ever faithful to his post._

 _"Have they already talked to Charlotte? Or Peter?" Esme asked, looking down at her grandson perched on the edge of the chair closest to her son. He looked frightened even in sleep, as if he was afraid to leave. One wrong move and everything would disappear._

 _"No, and when they talk to him, it's going to be here, with me," Edward said coldly._

 _"Do you remember everything that happened?"_

 _Edward nodded, "Up until I blacked out. It was a little fuzzy at first, but now I remember it perfectly."_

 _"Kate broke into the house. She…must have locked Renee in the closet upstairs because when we got back from Peter's appointment, we heard yelling. She was trying to get out of the bathroom. I went upstairs, unlocked the door, and she told me Kate was in the house. Apparently, she waltzed in and thought she could take Peter or wait for him. She didn't know Charlotte was in the house either. Her little informant must not have clued her in on all the details about Bella's house._

 _Kate gave Charlotte candy to keep her quiet, but she's allergic to peanuts. Charlotte had a bad allergic reaction, so Peter went and got her Epi-Pen. Kate was frantic…probably on God knows what, maybe she was having a bad trip or something. She had a gun, for crying out loud—who says I'm going to wait for my son with a gun in her back pocket? I'm not even sure how she got in. You'll have to ask Renee._

 _She had the gun in her back pocket and pulled it out after…threatening to kill Garrett for going through with the custody agreement. She claimed she wasn't in her right mind when she signed those papers. Peter and Kate got into an argument…more like her just yelling nasty things at him and him retorting. I was trying to step in, but I was getting Charlotte out of the way. I jumped in and tried to get the gun away from her, and then it went off. She reacted like it was an accident, but none of that matters."_

 _He looked down at his hospital gown, "and now we're here."_

 _"Did the kids see anything?" Carlisle questioned quietly._

 _"I don't think Charlotte did; she was under the table. I know Peter did. We talked earlier…ugh, this is just what he needs. And I thought he was doing better." Edward started to rant near the end, "I think I'm fully justified in being able to say I hate her. In case I forgot to mention that."_

 _"Is it okay for them…to know everything?"_

 _Edward looked at Bella, who nodded solemnly._

 _"They were both there…Edward's right, Charlotte didn't see anything, she heard it, but…" She trailed off, looking at the sleeping seven-year-old on the couch across the room._

 _"Well, was Kate caught?" Esme asked this time, aiming her question at Bella._

 _"Yes. Peter held on to her until the police arrived. He told me she was trying to run out the backdoor, and they arrested her on the scene. My mother has already talked to them. They do want to talk to the kids and Edward. I think they were going to give you some time to rest before doing anything else." Bella answered truthfully. She glanced at Peter's sleeping form longingly, before trailing her eyes back up to Edward._

 _This was one of the few times she'd seen him since he'd been awake, and she was dying for alone time with him. She knew he was okay physically, and she was fairly certain mentally, but she needed to be next to him without a room full of people._

 _"And do we know what's going on with charges?" Carlisle followed up._

 _"As in what charges she'll be getting or if I'm pressing charges?" Edward asked sarcastically, "because the answer to that is a big, fucking yes."_

 _"Edward!" Esme scolded._

 _"Well, I'm a little mad here." He retorted, "Sorry, Mom, a foul mouth is a side effect of a bullet to the chest."_

 _She scoffed lightly, rolling her eyes._

 _"There's something else you need to know. I'm not sure you want to hear it, so I'm going to give you the choice, even though it will be public knowledge very shortly." Edward said, dropping his face into a less harsh glare. This face was only for the sake of his mother, though._

 _He hadn't loitered on Kate's words in the kitchen, but with the memories spinning through his mind like a record stuck on repeat, anger flared through his veins._

 _He remembered Kate saying, 'Alice is just as unhappy about this arrangement as I am. At the time, he didn't have much time to think about it. But now that he did, he wasn't sure why she would do something like that. Was she aware of what had occurred because of her actions? Was her brother's life just some consequence? What about her nephew? If she cared so much, why let something like this happen?'_

 _"What do you mean, son?" Carlisle asked._

 _"I'm giving you a choice on whether you want to know something that could severely change your perspective on some other things…other people." Edward said simply. He looked next to him to ensure Peter was still asleep._

 _"It involves Kate?" His father asked._

 _"And others," Edward confirmed._

 _Bella knitted her brows in confusion. She hadn't any idea of what Edward was about to say._

 _"Others?" She asked._

 _"Yes. Something Kate said in the kitchen." Edward answered calmly, "about who gave her your address."_

 _Bella tilted her head in confusion. Who else in his family where her house was? She racked her brain for information, sifting through the past few months. Every interaction, every time she talked to one of them. And then she thought of the scowl painted on his sister's puckered pink lips._

 _She gaped at him, eyes widening._

 _"Yes, yes, tell us," Carlisle said, hastily._

 _"It was Alice," Edward said softly. He bit his lip nervously, looking down at the white bedsheets. He didn't want to see the look on his mother's face when the word had left his mouth. The tension had built in the room, waiting to be sliced through, "Alice gave Kate Bella's address."_

 _"Alice?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"Edward…you've got to be…I mean, why…why would your sister do that. She and Jasper were at the hearing. They testified on your behalf…they said you were what Peter wanted."_

 _"Yeah, they did. But don't bring Jasper into this. I'm not exactly sure what his…role was, but I'd put money on him not knowing about anything."_

 _"How can this be?" Esme asked, frowning. Her head was fuzzy._

 _"Kate told me it was Alice. I don't know why she would lie—she could have thrown Garrett under the bus, she did for other things, but I don't think Garrett would do that. Not after the hearing."_

 _"No, Garrett wouldn't do that. He's been focused on his recovery; he wouldn't do anything to risk it, especially not with Peter. Not now." Esme defended._

 _"Maybe Kate got to her, tried to manipulate her. You know how Kate is."_

 _"Nobody…was…seriously…" Esme started, her stomach sinking along with her words._

 _"Don't even finish that sentence, Mom! Were you going to say nobody was seriously hurt? A bullet in the chest and a collapsed lung? I'm going to be fine, yes, but what if I wasn't? What about Charlotte? What if we had run into a red light, or took a longer way home? Please don't even try to defend her. You're my mother, and I love you dearly, but I won't hesitate to..." Edward shook his head in frustration, "She broke the law. And I'm not quite sure what we're going to do about her yet, but it's going to be something._

 _He looked back down at the covers when he finished speaking._

 _"Edward…I…" Esme started again. Her voice was trembling, and if he looked up to face her, he would have been met with large, teary green eyes._

 _"I told you…I gave you the choice to know, and now you do." Edward said softly, looking up at his father._

 _"Son…we just need a minute. We will…be back in a while. I'm going to take your mother down to the cafeteria to get a coffee or a water. This is a lot, son. It's a lot. But we will be back, and when we do, we'll take the kids to dinner." Carlisle said, stepping forward to wrap an arm around his sobbing wife._

 _Edward sighed, leaning his head into Peter's sleepily dangling arm._

* * *

Bella stood alone in the room, gathering the remnants of a week of packing into a spare box from the now sparse bookshelf. She wasn't sure this was the right time to tell him, but she would feel bad waiting. Ever since their conversation when he was in the hospital, Bella had gotten into the habit of telling Edward things as soon as she could.

It was like this the first time she told him she loved him. She couldn't wait.

 _"Carlisle and Esme took Peter and Charlotte to get dinner...Mind if I come in?" Bella asked, knocking gently on the door, not to startle Edward._

 _They'd left after their conversation about Kate's arrest. She declined the invite, eager to get some alone time with Edward. She was wary about letting Charlotte go after the night she had, but Esme gave her their word they would check over the restaurant menu carefully._

 _She needed to tell him how much he meant to her, how he had become such a great part of her life in the past few months. The accident had put things into perspective for her. It was as if someone pressed fast forward on her emotions, on her heart, and she needed to tell him how she felt._

 _After agreeing to allow Charlotte to go with the Cullens, Bella tracked down two small cups of ice cream. She didn't have the same connections he did, so she was stuck with plain old vanilla._

 _"You don't have to ask, Bella," Edward laughed gently. He looked slightly tired but wasn't wincing in pain every few minutes. He managed to light every candle inside of her with the simple upturning of his lips, the same gentle smile that reminded her who he was._

 _"I wasn't sure if you would be sleeping." Bella sighed, slipping into the room. She shut the door behind her, waiting until she heard the soft click to move forward, "but I'm glad you're not because then I'd have to eat both of these by myself."_

 _She smirked as she set the small cups and plastic spoons on the table at the edge of the bed, "Unfortunately, I do not have the connections that big-time doctors do in the hospital, so you will have to accept vanilla."_

 _Edward's grin widened as she peeled back the paper lid of the frozen treat. She moved to his side to hand it to him, watching as he sat up lightly. He adjusted the bed to a position that would fare better for eating before taking the cup from her._

 _"I'll have you know that I happen to like vanilla, especially when it's brought to me by a beautiful woman."_

 _"Oh no, did I miss them giving you nightly pain medicine?" Bella laughed, digging into her own cup._

 _"No, but I was hoping you would come back." Edward admitted, looking at her, "why didn't you go to dinner with my parents?"_

 _She shrugged softly, looking down at her ice cream, "I was going to try to take my chances to catch you before you went back to sleep. I wanted to see you without everyone else in here."_

 _"Guess we had the same idea then."_

 _"You know, this seems oddly familiar, only we have swapped places." Bella laughed, remembering the time when he'd snuck into her room to check on her after his shift was over, bearing ice cream for her, Charlotte, and Renee. He must have stolen it off a cart or gotten it in the cafeteria._

 _Bella set her ice cream down on the table to free her hands. She gently grabbed one of the padded chairs from the edge of the bed and brought it as close to the bed as she could. She went back, grabbing the treat and small blanket that was strewn on another chair and settled in next to him._

 _She wasn't sure what she wanted to say, how to say it, or even how to start it. They sat in comfortable silence, her leaning lightly on his good side. Various emotions flew around her mind, making her head a fairly scatter-brained place. Usually, she was calm, collected, and cool in situations, but the past few days had been nothing short of a lot._

 _Bella finished her ice cream, getting up to toss the cup into the trash can in the corner. As she moved, a strange possessive feeling came over her, and she hurried back to her seat beside him. Was this what it felt like to be in love? She'd wasn't sure she'd felt it any other time in her life…not in this way. But she was sure she did just now._

 _She was sure she loved him._

 _And as if he was a mind reader, Edward maneuvered himself to be as close to her as he could, gently peppering kisses on her head and ears._

 _"I love you." He said softly._

 _And those words were the incentive for the gentle tears to begin sliding down her face. She placed her head on his shoulder, keeping her breathing low. It took him a moment to realize she was quietly sobbing into the fabric of his hospital gown._

 _He didn't say anything. He let her cry into his shoulder, occasionally pressing soft kisses into her hair._

 _This wasn't his parents or Peter; he didn't have to hide anything about the way he felt with Bella. And she didn't have to hide the way she felt from him either. This entire situation was nothing short of fucked up, and if she needed a good cry with him, then that's what he was going to do._

 _He was angry._

 _He was angry because_ she _came and interrupted what was becoming as close to perfect of a life that he could imagine…something he wasn't sure he pictured for himself. He was angry about getting shot; he was angry it caused Peter to take two steps back with his mental health. He was angry about Charlotte. He was angry at Kate, and he couldn't care less if she rotted away in jail for the rest of her life._

 _The fire flared in him when he felt the dots of tears on his skin._

 _"God, I was so scared. I…was supposed to be on my way home. I stayed back because one of the nurses needed help with something. I could have been there, Edward. I could have been there with you, with all of you. And then I get a call from my mom that you and Charlotte are on the way to the hospital. And then Charlotte…and then you…God, I thought I was going to lose my mind."_

 _"Baby, it's all right. Charlotte is okay; I'm okay, everyone's okay."_

 _"Charlotte's okay because of you, Edward." She sobbed harder. She wasn't sure what else to say. He curled his good side around her, trying to comfort her from his awkward positioning, "I don't...I don't even know what to say. And I thought I was going to get the chance…"_

 _"Bella, you can say whatever you want to me. I love you. I love Charlotte. I did whatever it was I had to do. But I'm right here…I'm right here with you, and I'm not going anywhere, baby. I know you were scared, but I promise. I'm okay. A week or two here, then we can go back home…"_

 _"I know…it just made me think. It just really made me think." She repeated._

 _"Okay, about what?"_

 _"About you. About us."_

 _"And?"_

 _"And I love you. God, I love you. And I thought I wouldn't get to tell—" He cut her off by using his free hand to pull her close to him. Edward turned his head and smashed his lips against hers. They were soft, warm, and made her breathless. And no matter how long he held her face next to hers, it would be achingly incomplete._

 _She was never going to get enough._

She'd already been sitting on this one for two days, though, and they were dead center in the middle of a stressful time of moving houses and Kate's impending trial.

Was there ever going to be a better time? This was the mentality she adopted after the accident, after her heart nearly stopped that day seeing Charlotte and Edward in the hospital.

These thoughts alone gave her the push she needed later that evening.

"Edward…there's something we need to talk about, and it's kind of important." Bella toyed with her thumbs, staring at the carpet. They were alone in Bella's bedroom, the object at the root of her nerves was burning a hole in her back pocket. The two pink lines sent a swell of emotion through her head. She'd only found out a few days ago after suspecting…and it was something of a surprise. Was it wrong of her to think of this as a new beginning? A way to truly solidify putting the past behind them. A way to solidify a life with Edward—one that was already perfect.

Before, she couldn't imagine it getting any better than Peter and Charlotte…but now it was a clearer picture.

"What is it, Bella?"

She was quiet.

"Come on, we've been through a hell of a lot together and its hardly been a year…what's going on?"

"I'm…" Bella started, nervous about meeting his eyes. What if this wasn't something he was planning on … if the vision of their perfect life was one-sided? What if he didn't want this…what if none of them wanted this? Or maybe she was being ridiculous.

Edward closed the space between him, moving to put his arms on her waist, "You can tell me anything, Bella." His hand slid farther down, cupping the tender curves of her backside. He rubbed the back of her jeans in a circular motion, feeling the thin stick in her pocket. Edward hovered over it lightly, before running his hand back up to her shoulder. He tilted her neck so he would look him in the eye.

"I'm..." She started again; her nerves seemed to fade when she met the brilliant green irises of the man she loved.

"Pregnant?" Edward finished, meeting her glassy stare. He smiled lightly at her.

"Um…yeah, yes." Bella finished, contorting her face in confusion, "How did you know?"

"I'm a doctor, Bella, don't you think I wouldn't notice the signs?"

She furrowed her brow.

"Also, you left the box on the bathroom counter the other day…and the stick is in your back pocket" Edward crinkled his face at his own joke. He could sense her anxiety and tried to lighten the mood, "but mostly, the former." He winked.

She scoffed playfully, fighting the yearn to roll her eyes.

"Okay…so? What do you think? What should we…?" Bella trailed off, wanting to again stare at the floor.

"What do you mean, what should we do, Bella? I love you. And I love Charlotte. And so, does, Peter."

"So, you don't think something like this would ruin…"

"Bella, don't ever think that! Love, in my eyes, we're a family, _all of us._ Formalities aside, I know with you and Charlotte are where Pete and I belong. Do you feel that way?"

"Of course, I do!" Bella said loudly, "of course. I love you and Peter too. I just…had to be sure. So, you want this." Her eyes shot open in excitement, and a smile spread slowly across her face.

"Yes, Bella. Of course, I want this."

"So that means…we're having a baby?"

"I guess that means we're having a baby…" Edward said, trailing off. He grinned, tightening his arms around her waist. She looked up at him, a soft giggle escaping her lips…the anxiety gone.

* * *

"When do you suppose we should tell them?" Edward asked, rubbing his hand down Bella's back as he took a box of scattered, miscellaneous items from her. It was odd to see the house in a completely different state, nearly empty aside from the furnishings they left for the next residents. He set the box gently on the counter before turning to face her.

"This might be a lot to spring on them the same time as us moving. I think we should wait…I haven't even thought about making an appointment or anything. We've been so busy with this move and with that damn trial approaching." Bella sighed, sitting in a chair at the table.

"Yeah, I think you might be right. Pete was already having a hard time. I found him in the playhouse earlier, sitting underneath that table your dad made." Edward smiled lightly. He crossed the room, ignoring the box on the counter. He stopped, placing his hands on the backside of the chair Bella occupied. He moved his arms to rub the top of her shoulders.

"I love you." He said softly, dropping a kiss onto her hair, "and I love you." He slid his hands south, so they were resting on her flat stomach. His long fingers ran over the surface, causing her to laugh out loud.

"Stop!" She squealed, trying to keep her voice down. Charlotte and Peter were upstairs, gathering miscellaneous items they may have missed. She bit her lip to stop from laughing as he repeated his motions, swirling his fingers in a playful, light manner.

"Nah, I don't think I will. Not till I hear what I want to hear."

"Please stop, oh great one?"

"Nope."

"I love you."

"Just you?"

"No…we both love you." Bella raised her head, looking up at him. He was bent down, beaming at her. She giggled again as she bent her neck back to capture his lips with her own. Their kiss was gentle and compassionate; their noses softly rubbed against one another as she lost herself in his deep green eyes.

"I hope she looks just like you." He whispered softly.

Bella's response was cut short, punctuated by the sounds of Peter and Charlotte's footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Mommy, we're ready."

"Are you? Did you get everything out of your room and the guest room?" Bella asked, straightening herself in the chair. Edward sniggered from behind her, backing away. She could hear him move back towards the counter.

Peter stood behind Charlotte, clutching a small cardboard box. It was filled halfway with random trinkets and toys from the upstairs bedrooms. The biggest item was a plush stuffed lion placed gently into the corner.

"Yeah, I think we did." He answered, looking down at the contents of the box. His gaze lingered on the soft furs of the lion's mane.

"Well…then, I think that's everything." Edward said quietly, lifting the box from the counter. He looked around, double-checking to see if they had left anything in the kitchen, "let's go put these in the car, and I guess we can be on our way."

"Wait, Uncle E," Peter exclaimed before his uncle could move an inch, "There's something I need to do. I…left something out in the playhouse."

"Sure, kid. Why don't you and Charlotte go get it while Bella and I take these out to the car." Edward amended. Peter nodded, setting the box back on the table. Biting his lip, he looked down at Charlotte. He reached down, grabbing a fistful of the lion's mane.

"Come on, Char." He whispered, pulling the plush animal and the little girl with him through the back door.

* * *

"What are you doing, Peter?" Charlotte asked, nearly tripping over her sandaled feet. Peter pulled her quickly across the lawn towards the yellow house, "why did you bring that with us? Did we leave something out here?"

"No…we didn't leave anything out here. I need to leave something here."

"The lion?"

"Yeah."

He ripped open the door, taking a deep breath of the moist spring air. He observed the three small rooms of the playhouse—bare of Charlotte's toys and tea set. They'd been packed up earlier in the week and taken to Edward's house. He frowned when he saw the old wooden table, and instinctively rubbed his head while remembering hitting it earlier in the day.

He squeezed through the door, moving towards the table. His long arms were clutched around the lion—something that had given him hope when he needed it most. His father's letter had taught him something in the past few months, and it had taken until his conversation with his uncle that morning before it finally clicked together in his eleven-year-old head.

 _You're strong._

It was the only piece of advice his father had given him that made sense.

 _You're strong._

And he remembered clutching the lion in the middle of the night, frightened to hear the slam of the closet door. He'd been drowning in the dark memories, and the fluffy mane had been his life preserver when Charlotte couldn't be.

It'd given him the courage to face the dark, the courage to be strong.

And maybe it could do the same for someone else. He didn't know what kind of demons the little girl and her family who were moving into the grand blue house with the wildflowers in its yard might have. Maybe she didn't have any, or maybe she had more.

He moved forward, the creaks of the floor whining with each step. He sat the lion upright in the chair closest to the door, running a finger through its mane.

"Peter! Charlotte! Let's go! Rosalie, Emmett, and Jake are bringing pizza over tonight. We gotta go!" Bella's voice came through the screen door.

"Ooh, pizza!" Charlotte squealed.

Peter smiled, releasing the synthetic fur.

He took Charlotte's hand, tossed a nimble look back at the lion one last time, and shut the door behind him.

They walked side by side towards their future, towards their family.

THE END.

 **AN: Thank you for sticking with me on this story. This was my first story in the world of Twilight FF and to see those two words are astounding.**

 **Epilogue/Future-take up tomorrow that includes a major time jump (4 years roughly. Long term questions answered there ;) )**

 **If you liked this story, feel free to join my Facebook Group "Mariescullen Fanfiction and Graphics". I love to connect :)**

 **Thanks,**

 **Sarah**


	28. Epilogue

**AN: Thank you to Mykaela and Heather for helping me with this. And thanks to everyone who has helped me with this story along the way. What an incredible journey for a first fic.**

The Boy in the Backyard

Epilogue:

"Are we going again, Uncle E?" Peter yelled, making his way back up the slope. The voice was a distance away, causing Edward to push up his snow visor. He peered down at the light crowd. The small girl at his feet caught wind of what he was doing as she pushed her little snow visor up. He sighed, giving up his task of searching for his nephew, and knelt in front of her.

His knees had hit the snow by the time her jacket was halfway undone. He reached up, tightening the little girls' coat. She giggled playfully, putting her small hands over his large ones in an attempt to prevent him from zipping her back up. Her laugh was a chime in the wind of the snowy hill. Every beat made Edward's smile grow wider.

"Come on, Bails. You're not going to be so giggly when you freeze." He laughed, successfully pulling up the coat on the quirky three-year-old. Bailey continued entertaining herself by pulling the front visor of the small helmet up and down over her eyes.

"No, let me see those pretty brown eyes." He asked gently.

The little girl laughed again, pulling the pink visor up one final time, smiling wildly. Loose auburn curls blew freely in the wind, framing her chubby face. The cold air created a light flush on her cheeks.

"Bailey, do you want it up or down? This is our last time going down. Charlotte is going stir crazy at the bottom." Edward asked the little girl, brushing her hair back, attempting to tuck it into the side of her helmet.

"Up, daddy. We see snow!" Bailey chirped happily, clicking her baby skis together. She was attempting to wiggle her way forward but was unsuccessful. She began to tumble forward before Edward's hands caught her around the waist. She squirmed away as another round of giggles escaped her soft pink lips.

"We are going to see snow, baby." Edward laughed, standing up straight. He pressed a light kiss to his daughter's head on the way up. He adjusted his skis, grabbing Bailey's hands as they prepared to glide down the small slope. Another skier, a tall boy nearing Edward's height, stopped next to them. He lifted his visor as he turned towards Edward and the standing girl between his legs.

They decided early on not to take Bailey on the larger hills. Instead, they chose the bunny slope for the duration of the afternoon, letting her get her bearings. He'd allowed Peter to stay on the more advanced hills, but the young teen opted to stay nearby. The rest of their family was supposed to be arriving the next day. Edward and Bella had taken an extra day off to give Peter more time at the lodge for his birthday celebration weekend.

"There you are. Hey, this is the last one, Pete. Char is getting grouchy and wants to head back to the lodge." He chuckled as the boy rolled his eyes.

"Are you sure that doesn't mean Bella is getting cranky?" Peter smirked, trailing his eyes down to the base of the run.

"It means happy wife, happy life. Remember that." Edward smirked, thinking back to the text message Bella had sent him. Charlotte was getting tired too. Keyword: too.

"But you're not wrong."

As more skiers passed them, Bailey squealed in excitement.

"Not all of us can be baby snow angels, isn't that right, Bailey?" Peter laughed, sliding closer to where his uncle and the little girl were standing. She laughed harder, letting go of her father's hand to smack the arm of Peter's coat.

"No, bad brother Peter!" She squealed.

"You know, it's 1 out of 3, so I'd say we got lucky." Edward laughed, "she's going to be a legend by the time she's Charlotte's age. I'm putting money on it that she'll be doing double blacks."

"Since when do you gamble? Are we hitting up the casino later? Does that mean I can gamble?" Peter asked inquisitively, a curious gleam in his eye. Just how much would his Uncle E let him get away with on this birthday?

Edward snorted, pulling his visor down, "sure when you're not 14."

"On that note, I'll be 15 tomorrow."

"Good point…in that case, the answer is still no."

Peter scoffed.

"Can we still try the triple this weekend?"

"If you and Jake can get down all the doubles tomorrow, we will try it on Sunday in the morning before we have to head out, sound good?" Edward said, peering at the bottom of the slope.

"Duh!" Peter exclaimed. He joined the ski-club once he entered high school, but as he is only in his first year, he had yet to experience too many ski trips. For his fifteenth birthday, his wish was simple: for everyone that made him happy to be in a place that made him happy. When Bella and Edward had gotten wind of this, they set out right away to plan a trip northeast to Smuggler's Notch.

"Don't get too excited. You have to make it down this bunny hill first." Edward joked as he clasped Bailey's hands, "now enough chit chat, let's go!"

"Enough chit chat!" Bailey echoed, smacking her hands against Edwards impatiently.

The laughter faded as they started to glide, setting off into the snow.

* * *

Bella and Charlotte were waiting patiently on the large lodge deck by the time they headed towards the wooden stairs. Cheeks reddened from the wind of the run, they unmounted their skis and tossed them casually over their shoulders. Bailey nuzzled her head farther into the crevice of warm fabric lining the inside of her father's coat. He'd undone the top so she could burrow her face in an attempt to combat the dropping temperature. He readjusted his grip on her, hoping the uneven terrain of the snow path wouldn't disturb her short nap.

The girls sat quietly on a seat, bundled from head to snow in winter attire. Charlotte's plum purple hat was pulled so far down it nearly covered her eyes. The fuzzy ball at the top drooped lazily towards the side of her face as she leaned over a fat book. Bella sat similarly; her dark hair braided. She focused on the screen of her smartphone, snickering quietly to herself.

"I hear we have to wrap it up for the day because you're a grouch," Peter said antagonistically as they approached. He angled his skis away from his body before bending to whack the top of Charlotte's puffy hat.

"Peter! That's not very nice! Mom!" Charlotte whined, huffing lightly at the tall boy. She slammed her book shut and sat up straight. Peter grinned as she shot him a death glare.

"Oh, Char, he's just playing with you." Bella laughed, tucking her phone in her pocket. She got up, stretching her jean-clad legs. The blanket of snow crunched beneath her boots as she made her way to her husband and Bailey.

"Is she out?" She asked as she neared. Bella reached out her arms eagerly.

"Like a light. She did well. Those new skis were a good idea." Edward replied, glancing down at the curly mass below his chin. She'd stretched in the time they'd been walking to latch her arms around his neck. He stopped in front of Bella, allowing her to capture the small child in her arms.

The transfer woke Bailey. She peered drowsily at her surroundings before curling back up into her mother's neck. Edward moved to kiss his wife gently, ignoring the mocking noises the other two children made at them.

"So, what excuse did you use to get him here?" Bella asked curiously, peering over her shoulder after Edward stepped away from her.

"I told him Charlotte was having a fit," Edward answered casually. If anything would get Peter anywhere, it was his little sister. Despite their age difference, their close bond had remained static throughout the years. Adding Bailey into the mix had only strengthened it.

 _Charlotte barely had time to pick her jaw up off the floor. Her grandfather finally came through on his promise. If she went along with the move and wasn't too upset about leaving the old, yellow playhouse behind, he would surprise her with something on her eighth birthday._

 _And surprise her, he did._

 _It was massive, grander than anything she'd ever seen before as she tilted her head back to stare at the tan shingled roof. It was two stories tall with a large white silo complete with wide windows connected to the left side. The bright red paint of the barn still smelled fresh. She squealed in excitement, picturing herself, tearing open the full dutch doors at the front and sliding down the slinky yellow slide attached to the silo._

 _"Do you like it?" Charlie asked innocently, hiding his grin underneath his mustache._

 _"I love it, Grandpa!" Charlotte squealed again, running to throw herself into his arms._

 _"And it's bigger than the old one, you can have more friends in it," Charlie explained, looking down at his granddaughter latched tightly to his waist._

 _"Peter, there's room for both of us!" Charlotte called from across the yard. Her honorary older brother laughed, exchanging a glance with Edward. They were settled on the porch, leaning lazily against the wooden beams._

 _"Mom! Look at it! It's amazing!" Charlotte yelled again. She turned around, eager to run towards the house to grab her mother and show her just how amazing it was._

 _"It does look amazing!" Bella agreed, giggling at her daughter's joy, "but Charlotte, we need to ask you a question."_

 _"What?" The now eight-year-old asked impatiently. She tossed another longing glance over her shoulder at the playhouse._

 _"You too, Peter," Edward said, shifting his position to move closer towards his girlfriend._

 _"Me too?"_

 _"It's enormous, Charlotte. How big do you think it is?"_

 _"It's like a castle. Big enough for me, big enough for Peter, big enough for all my friends…" Charlotte started, listing the endless options on her small fingers._

 _"Big enough for a little brother?"_

 _"Or a sister," Edward added, smiling sheepishly._

 _"A sister? Or a brother?" I'm getting another one?" She asked, glancing at Peter curiously._

 _"You're both getting another one." Edward corrected, tossing a look at Bella._

 _"Wow, cool. Can I read to him?" Charlotte asked hurriedly._

 _"Of course, you can." Bella answered softly, "are you alright with that, Char?"_

 _She nodded eagerly. Bella couldn't miss the longing in her daughter's eyes._

 _"And you want to go back to the playhouse, don't you?"_

 _"I'm sorry, Mommy! But aren't they in your tummy for like five years? I have a lot of time to be excited about that!" Charlotte cried, raising her arms to exhibit the masterpiece behind her._

 _"Oh my god, child. Go!" Bella laughed, smacking her daughter on the butt as she shot back across the yard._

 _"5 years? Good Lord, I hope not." Bella added, feigning fright. She looked over at the two boys._

 _Peter was still dazed at her words._

 _"Wait, you guys are having a baby?" He asked, confused._

 _"Yeah, Pete. We are. Are you alright with that?" Edward asked, laying a hand on his shoulder._

 _Peter thought for a moment, looking at Bella. A grin spread slowly across his face as he turned back to face his uncle._

 _"Yeah, I'm alright with that."_

"Naturally, he understood right away," Edward added, catching the stink eye Charlotte threw his way. He stuck his tongue out at her, causing a traitor giggle to escape her lips.

"Is everyone here?" Edward whispered as they began to walk down the path to the condo they rented.

Schedules worked out better than ever, allowing them to orchestrate one more gift for Peter. Everyone coming had been able to make their way towards the cozy ski lodge a day early than planned.

"Yep. We've got our condo, and your parents rented the neighbor suite as well." Bella smirked.

Edward smiled.

"Think it's going to be worth it?" Bella asked casually, taking his hand with her free one.

"Of course," Edward sighed, watching his nephew walk side by side with Charlotte.

They chatted about other things the rest of the way, both too anxious for Peter's reaction to their surprise. The walk wasn't long but seemed to be taking its jolly old time this trek. After what could have been miles, they came to a stop in front of their large rental home.

"Peter, do you still have the keys?" Edward asked curiously. He feigned digging around his snowsuit.

"Uh…no," Peter said, confused. He turned around to stare, perplexed at Edward.

"That's okay. I don't think we need them." Bella remedied as the door ripped open.

"Are you cold, son?" His grandfather called from inside the foyer of the house, "why don't you guys come in to warm up?" He smiled keenly at Peter, whose eyes bugged out of his head as he whipped around.

"Grandpa! You're here early!"

"What can I say, my grandson only turns 15 once."

"You say that every year."

"Well, I got the age right, didn't I?"

"Only thanks to me," said Esme coming up to wrap an arm around her husband's shoulder.

"Grandma!" Peter exclaimed.

They all filed into the house. What was once a lot of space was crammed tight full of boisterous chatter and family members.

Rosalie, Emmett, and Jacob had managed to make it that afternoon. Charlie hitched a ride with them. Renee and Phil were seated at the table, sticking a few more candles on an already monstrous birthday cake.

Peter was thrilled, a grin pinned to his face as he was passed around to family member after family member.

"You guys weren't supposed to be here till tomorrow!" Peter yelled, staring at the cake.

"Well, Pete, if you want us all to leave, I'm sure we could just—" A lean man with cropped hair sat in the corner chair. He smiled seriously.

"You made it?"

"I did, kid. I'm working only a few hours from here. Couldn't miss it."

Peter smiled softly. It wasn't as wide as the grin he gave others, but it was a grin, nonetheless. He strolled towards the corner catching the man in a light hug.

"Well, I'm glad you could come," Peter answered truthfully.

Garrett smiled timidly but nodded his head.

The relationship between father and son was far from mended. And they weren't sure it would ever be. All that mattered was that they were both going to try. Garrett had begun to gain Peter's trust by completing his rehab and vowing to the path of sobriety for the rest of his life. So far, he'd been able to keep his end of the bargain successfully. He worked all over the United States as a contractor, claiming the constant go was the choice for him. It was easier to experience new things and not be tempted by his old stomping grounds in Illinois.

* * *

"No other aunt and uncle?" Peter said sadly, looking up at Edward. They had sung an off-key Happy Birthday and were slicing pieces of Peter's cake. Bailey clapped eagerly from Renee's lap, fingers covered in frosting. Edward smiled at her, turning towards his nephew.

"Sorry, kid. I don't think they're going to-" Edward started. His words were cut off by the sound of a car pulling onto the gravel surrounding the house. He turned back towards with eyes full of mirth, "or maybe, they will."

Peter ran out of the house like lightning. Charlotte was hot on his heels.

"Uncle Jasper!" he called happily, "I thought you couldn't make it!"

"And miss the coolest kid on the block turning 15? I don't think so, Pete!" Jasper said excitedly as he shut the car door. He strolled to the backdoor, pulling it open and bending to unfasten the baby carrier. The woman in the passenger seat strode out of the vehicle, stopping on the other side of the car. She began to dig around the backseat for a duffle bag, a diaper bag, and a gift bag.

"Aunt Maria! You made it too?" Peter said as the woman slammed the door behind her. The statuesque brunette offered him a wide grin.

"Of course! I couldn't let this boso get you something awful for your birthday." Maria laughed, setting the bags down on the ground as Peter made his way into her arms.

"And you brought Anthony!" Charlotte called from behind. She looked dreamily at the carrier Jasper clutched tightly in his hand.

"Well, we were gonna leave him at home, but we figured he'd eat all the good snacks," Jasper said playfully.

"I'm really glad you could make it, Uncle J," Peter said, releasing Maria and making his way toward the tall blonde.

"Me too! I can't believe how tall you're getting." Jasper hugged his nephew with one arm. Happiness looked good on his Uncle J. It had been a rough few months after things came out about Alice. In the year afterward, Jasper found himself living an almost entirely different life.

Esme stood on the porch, smiling enthusiastically to Jasper and Maria. Bailey was waving wildly from her perch in her other grandmother's arms.

"Or how cute your little sis' is getting. Sorry, she got ya' beat, Pete." Jasper chuckled. He hugged Peter, clapping his free hand on his back.

"Trust me, I know."

The new visitors made their way to the porch, climbing the staircase towards the house.

"You guys can just put your bags on the porch. We have to take suitcases over to the other condo."

"She says 'other condo' so casually." Jasper responded with sarcasm evident in his voice, "wonderful to see you, Esme."

He smiled at her.

Despite everything, he was glad to have maintained a strong relationship with the Cullens. He'd been a part of their life for a long time and after everything that occurred with his now-ex-wife, the potential to lose them had been the only sour part of the deal.

 _Tea with her mother was a weekly standing date for Alice Cullen. It was their time to catch up, hear the latest gossip, and bond. Part of her was nervous. She hadn't seen her mother since she heard about the accident. And now, nearly a month later, she's talked to her all of one time._

 _Tne time being her invitation to this tea date._

 _Her breath was ragged as she sat in their regular corner café. But she didn't have a reason to be scared, did she? They wouldn't even know…_

 _Alice wasn't sure what had happened. She didn't know where Kate was. And to be frank, she didn't care. She sincerely hoped the family didn't think she had anything to do with Edward getting hurt._

 _"You weren't responsible, whatever it was that happened, it wasn't your fault." She told herself, a reminder to keep calm._

 _Despite the old eighties music playing from a worn-looking speaker system, there wasn't a sound in the world that clicked louder than the bottom of Esme's heeled shoes. The taps punctuated the agonizingly slow breaths slipping out of her daughter's mouth. Her usually taut lips were thin and expressionless, petrified in dread as the clicks grew closer._

 _Her mother was on a mission._

 _A deadly mission._

 _The sliding of the chair was like nails on a chalkboard._

 _"Alice." Her mother greeted. Esme's voice wasn't cold or warm. It was distanced and far away._

 _"Mother." She said, staring down at the table, "how are you?"_

 _"How am I? I'm alright. You're brother's alright too. Not that you bothered to call." Esme Cullen wasn't about beating around the bush. The past few weeks had made her seriously rearrange her outlook on life. Carlisle had suggested they take an extended vacation, away from their life in Chicago while Edward recovered. It was something she didn't know she needed. In her ongoing battle for the picture-perfect family, online and in the local community, she'd lost what that meant to be a family._

 _Family stuck by one another._

 _Family stitches one another's wounds._

 _Family didn't cause them._

 _Family acknowledged faults._

 _"Do you hate me? Everyone else seems too. I don't know why I did what I did. She…just got to me!" Alice started, turning her head to look out the window. She trailed off her words, letting the words dangle in the air. Her mother was her only option. If she told the truth, surely her mother would rescue her. She always did._

 _"No, Alice. I don't hate you. You're my daughter. I could never hate you." Esme started, taking a deep breath. "But this…all of this has opened me up to a world of things going on here that I knew nothing about. I paid more attention to things…I nearly missed my grandson being…" Esme bit her lip to fight back the storm of tears that were brewing behind her tightly clenched eyelids._

 _She shook her head._

 _"And it's opened me up to the fact that my daughter is greedy and selfish."_

 _Alice's eyes widened as if she was going to protest. Her mother held up a sharp finger, daring her to continue._

 _"Selfish enough that you didn't stop in your tracks to think about anyone other than yourself. Selfish in a decision that could have costed someone their life…that someone being your brother or your nephew or Bella's daughter."_

 _"And I know, I know. You probably didn't know he was going to get hurt, but what the hell were you thinking? I have to know what was going through your head. You knew Kate was sour, you knew everything that was going on. You knew what happened with Garrett! Alice, you were at the damn court hearings!" Esme slammed her fist on the table. She took another breath, ignoring the looks from other bystanders._

 _"I need you to tell me that this is a misunderstanding…that you didn't know what you were doing, that maybe you messed up that you didn't do this because you wanted Edward to lose Peter…"_

 _Alice shifted her legs, nudging them gently against the wooden legs of the table. Her eyes studied anything in her path as they turn to avoid the chilling stare of her mother. Her spine was as slick as an ice cube when she finally settled on studying the chipped rim of the teacup._

 _"I didn't know Edward was going to get hurt."_

 _"But you still did it? You knew she was going there to get Peter. You told her their address. Did you know Bella's little girl got hurt too? Did you think about her? You met her last time were there."_

 _Alice bit her lip as the image of the young brown-haired girl skipped into her head. She had forgotten about her._

 _"The little girl got hurt?"_

 _"Yes, but she's fine. Thanks to Edward." Esme added icily, "Alice, I'm just trying to understand you."_

 _"If you want me to tell you it's a misunderstanding…I'm not sure I can. I didn't know he'd get hurt, but she convinced me…Mom, you know how she is! She started talking about a life with Peter, and it just got to me. And then I started feeling angry again about things in the past…She was supposed to get Peter and come back."_

 _"Exactly, Alice! I know exactly how Katherine is. You wanted your brother to get hurt? You wanted your nephew to get hurt? Or be subjected to God knows what? After everything that Garrett and Peter told not to only you, but a court? You know they want to press charges, right?"_

 _"They won't do anything, though, right? Mom, you can't let them!" Alice whined, her eyebrows crushing together._

 _Esme was quiet._

 _"Mom…you can't be seriously…what if I talk to him? I'll get on the next flight. Jasper will go with me…we can…" Alice started, frantically trying to find the right answer to wipe the resigned expression off her mother's face._

 _"No, you're not going there. Your brother was almost killed, Alice. They had to re-inflate his lung. Kate threw you under the bus. He doesn't want you anywhere near there. Neither does Bella."_

 _"I'm not sure what they're going to do. They need to wait for certain things. Is there any proof of anything? Conversations between you and Kate? How did she even get in contact with you?"_

 _"She sent me a private message on Facebook, asking me to meet for coffee. I just...wanted to help her, I guess. I wasn't thinking."_

 _Esme stared her daughter down. She was on her last nerve._

 _"I need to know one thing. Answer me, honestly. You wanted your brother to get hurt? Whether it be a bullet in his chest or Peter going to live with someone else?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"That's all I needed to know."_

 _Esme stood up from the table, set a bill underneath the placemat. Her heels clicked again as she stepped back, pushing her chair. She slung her purse over her shoulder, giving her daughter one repentant look before strolling out of the restaurant._

 _"Jasper, you have to do something! Talk to my mom, talk to…anyone!" Alice pleaded, looking at her husband through the smudged glass barrier between them. Her chipped black nail polish highlighted her tight grip on the phone. The grey jumpsuit was too long on her narrow arms._

 _"I can't do that, Alice. Your parents…I'm not sure how much they can help. Aro can't even help…he's on their side, with them. I think they're trying to set you up with someone else, Jenks probably, but Alice, you should know they're trying not to get involved. Aro reckons you will be able to pull some type of deal…" Jasper said somberly._

 _The weight of something else was bearing down on his shoulders._

 _"A deal? What the fuck kind of deal am I going to get? They're talking accessory to attempted manslaughter, child endangerment…all kinds of things. What if I have to go against her in court? She's batshit crazy!" Alice cried. She raised a delicate hand to the glass, attempting to plead with him._

 _Jasper was the only thing she had left._

 _"Why are you here, Jasper? You obviously didn't come to bring me any news about how the fuck I am going to get out of here."_

 _"No, Al, I came because I have other news."_

 _"What other news?"_

 _"These papers came to the house." Jasper said, holding up various yellow envelopes, "one is a notice, the other is something you need to sign." He got up quickly, moving toward the guard. He spoke to the uniformed man for a moment, handing him two envelopes. A few nods of the head and review of the contents inside later, the guard bit his lip, trying to hide his smirk. Jasper went back to his seat and watched as the guard entered a room leading to the other side of the barrier. The man handed the documents to Alice gently before heading back to his post._

 _Confused as hell, Alice put the phone down. She ripped the first envelope open, eyes scanning the first of many pieces of paper. Her brows furrowed together tightly, wondering what absolute nonsense this could be._

 _"What is this?"_

 _"Exactly what you think it is."_

 _"They're fucking disowning me? Are my parents cutting me out of the will? They can't just do that!" Alice screeched, "What the hell are they going to do with it? Give it to that stupid…" She trailed off, biting her lip in an attempt to stop her mouth from getting her into more trouble. She shot a stink eye at the guard, "What about Garrett? If they're cutting one problem child out, they should be cutting the rest!"_

 _"Actually, they're cutting all of you out."_

 _"Everyone?" She yelled._

 _"All of the kids, yes."_

 _"Well, I wonder how the fucking prince of the family is taking that one."_

 _"Fairly well since he helped Carlisle and Esme come to that conclusion. They're using it to set up trusts for the grandkids. Garrett agreed to it too." Jasper explained dully._

 _"And you're just okay with this? Jasper! That's our store money, how we live…"_

 _"No, Alice, that's how you live."_

 _"What do you mean, you've been with me through everything."_

 _"And that's where we come to the next set of documents. You have your problems, Alice. And I have stuck by you through everything…all of it. I love you, and probably will always love you, but I just don't think I can do this anymore. This just crossed a line I didn't know existed until it happened." Jasper spoke, using his to reference the unopened envelope._

 _"Jazz, what do you mean? You're not…" Alice said, feeling a trickle of fear fall down her back. She took her time with the second envelope, unlatching it carefully. She bit her lip once more to maintain her composure as she looked over its contents. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes._

 _"Jazz…"_

 _"I'm sorry, I really am. I just can't be a part of this. We haven't been a team for so long, Alice. And I think it's time for me to be on my own." Jasper looked up into her glistening eyes, "Jenks is going to take care of it. He'll probably get in contact with you soon." He minced his words, biting the bullet instead. This was already decided for him._

 _There wasn't anything to argue about, no convincing him to stay._

 _"I think it's time for me to go, Alice." He mumbled quietly._

 _"Jasper, please!" She cried, tears flowing freely down her face._

 _"Goodbye, Al." Jasper gave her a small smile._

 _He picked up his coat, tossed it over his shoulder, and didn't look back._

* * *

He'd met Maria at a rodeo in Texas. After the divorce finalized and the trial was over, he'd sought comfort in his southern roots. She'd beaten his time on a mechanical bull, and he'd be putty in her hands ever since.

Thanks to Jenks, his ex-wife had been offered a deal. She pled guilty to minor charges in an attempt to help the DA hit Kate for more substantial crimes. She'd been sentenced to two years in prison and five years of probation. Jasper didn't keep tabs on Alice anymore but often checked in with Esme about her whereabouts.

Not that Esme kept hard tabs either.

She'd gotten the better deal legally, but that didn't mean things were alright with her family.

Until her daughter could get help and prove herself, things were tense in that department. She hadn't spoken to Edward or Peter in nearly two years since her release. She tried, oh, how she tried.

 _Alice came into town, basking in the fresh air of Forks. The past two years in prison had been rough on her, and she wanted to make amends. She'd been in contact with her younger brother._

 _Short, unbothered text conversations._

 _The texts were few and in-between, giving her the inclination that her brother's new wife didn't know what he was doing._

 _His sister tapped on the door, expecting to meet forest green eyes identical to her own. She was shocked to meet rigid brown ones instead._

 _"Bella," she said faintly. Her eyes were wide. Alice reached to brush a long strand of dark hair behind her ear._

 _The brown eyes of Bella's face were still stone._

 _"Bella…I was just…" She started._

 _"Meeting Edward? Coming to apologize?" Bella cut her off. Her expression was murderous._

 _"Yeah. Where is he? I need to talk to him." Alice finished, brashness dripping into her voice._

 _"You need to?" Bella asked again. Her words were ice chips._

 _"Yes." She nodded, "now tell me where he is."_

 _"Edward doesn't know you're here, Alice. He's at work. The kids are at school."_

 _"What do you mean Edward doesn't know I'm here? He's been texting me!" Alice argued._

 _Puzzlement crossed her stale features._

 _The soft giggle of a baby came from around the corner._

 _"Oh, by the way, you're an aunt again," Bella said._

 _"I'm confused, Bella. Why doesn't he know I'm here?" She didn't miss Alice's look of curiosity towards the other side of the wall where Bailey's playpen stood._

 _"Because he wasn't the one texting you, Alice."_

 _"It was you." This wasn't a question._

 _"Of course, it was me. I have a message for you that you needed to hear in person." Bella spat angrily, "and it sure as hell wasn't going to be on my dime."_

 _"Um…that's fucking weird, Bella. I flew all the way out here. Does Edward know what you've been up to? I might as well just wait for them." Alice moved to enter the house._

 _Bella laughed, using her foot to block the door._

 _"He doesn't. And he's not doing to find out. People warned me not to do this, but I think I'm going to let the chips fall where they may because I need to say my piece," Bella said casually._

 _She stepped forward and shut the door behind her._

 _"You think you can just…come here? With a clean conscience? Oh, two years in prison. Boo-fucking-hoo. I was hoping they were going to make you rot. You are sure as hell deserve it. Remember this, Alice. It wasn't Edward's house you sent Kate to in search of Peter. No, it was mine. Are you so shocked to find yourself at my door again?" Bella was seething, barreling at Alice like a canon. She raised her finger in a threatening motion as Alice edged backward down the porch steps._

 _"And my daughter's home. My daughter, who almost died. Did you forget about her? Forget to warn Kate about her?" She continued, getting into her beloved sister-in-law's face._

 _"No, you didn't think. And then I had to deal with a seven-year-old who would freeze up in a panic every time she entered her own damn kitchen. Or can't hear a loud sound without thinking of the closest thing she's ever had to a father is bleeding out on the ground."_

 _"No, Alice, let me tell you what you might as well do. You can fuck off with your attempted apologies. You can fuck off out of his life, out of my life, out of Charlotte's life, and especially out of Peter's life. You can fuck out of Bailey's life, whom you're never going to know."_

 _"If you think about coming here again, I will call the police."_

 _"And Alice, if you come near my children again? I might not be able to after Kate since she's spending the rest of her prime in a prison cell, but I can come after you."_

To this day, Jasper was the only one who knew about Bella's little soiree with his ex-wife because Alice called him in tears afterward. He chuckled to himself when he saw Bella laughing wildly with her parents and her youngest daughter.

Mama Bear _indeed_.

"How's Al?" Jasper managed to slip to Esme over the weekend.

"Not sure. Last I knew, she was in California." Esme said dully, scrubbing a dish.

* * *

It was the end of the weekend when Peter's voice came spiraling into the kitchen.

"Hey, Uncle J! Are you coming?"

"Where we headed?" Jasper asked, following the voice to the porch.

"Uncle E is taking me to attempt the triple black. You have to come!"

"Triple black? You sure you're ready for that?" Jasper let out a low whistle as he assessed Peter's ski collection spread out amongst the porch.

"I'd rather try and fall than not be able to say I tried at all." Peter retorted, lacing up his boots.

"You know what? You're right, Pete."

And try they did.

AN: Thank you for your readership! I hope you enjoyed this one.

 **Check out my FB group "Mariescullen Fanfiction and Graphics" for teasers, pictures, etc. of future stories. My next projects to finish up are Behind the Screen and The Simulation.**

 **Happy Reading,**

 **Sarah**


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